A Twisted Fairytale
by NakanoHana
Summary: First story ever! In his lust for power, Vexen attempts to murder the prince and gain control of the kingdom. Roxas finds himself coming to grips with his title, his destiny, and his feelings for that charming red-headed fellow who helped him out. Based loosely on Snow White
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Prologue:

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a beautiful and glorious kingdom. It was a peaceful land that flourished through the ages, full of rolling hills and clear, glistening streams. Everone sought to live in harmony with the land, and the rulers worked out among the people. In the center of the kingdom, enshrined in the courtyard of a large castle, stood a magnificent keyblade embedded in a small pedestal. It was the kingdom's coronation ritual that a person would have to pull the keyblade from its pedestal to become the next king. But the key would only choose one with a kind and righteous heart to rule; a device set in place by the gods to protect the land and its people.

The current ruler was a noble king named Cloud Strife, under whom the land had flourished for many years. It was during this peaceful time that the king's firstborn son, Roxas, was born. He was the spitting image of his father, and Cloud sent word far and wide of the joyous event. All of the land rejoiced at his birth and, as the years passed, Roxas grew to be as kind, wise, and handsome as his father.

Roxas had a quiet and shy disposition, but he was very open and friendly with people as he got to know them better. He had a good sense of humor and was willing to take responsibility for his actions, even at a young age. He followed his father on trips to the surrounding villages, from Traverse Town to Hollow Bastion, spending time getting to know the people who would one day follow him. He showed them kindness and honesty and they loved him for it. Always on such trips, Cloud could not help but smile down at his son, knowing that in time he would become a great ruler, even greater than he himself had been.

It was the night of Roxas's 9th birthday when a mysterious man appeared at the castle, calling himself Lord Vexen. Roxas had discovered him unconscious as he wandered in the gardens with his father, and Cloud personally stayed with him to help him recover. It was at this time that Vexen became very close to Cloud, becoming something of a trusted advisor and scientific authority. He knew many secrets of science and magic, and he could always recommend a good plan when it came to dealing with the people's complaints. He showed the king all of his plans and the two men began working together.

Soon, Cloud became so occupied with his work that Roxas hardly ever saw his father. The sudden change was shocking and uncomfortable, but Roxas respected that the needs of the people would sometimes outweigh his own, and thus he did his best to hold his peace. He was not yet old enough to attend the court meetings, and he never seemed to catch Cloud's attention for very long after the meetings were over. He respected the importance of his father's work, but he could not help but feel lonely in Cloud's absence. Roxas then began to wander the castle absent-mindedly, learning what he could from servants and soldiers, but his meetings with his father were brief and few. He heard rumors that something had changed in his father, making him colder and less focused. Though Roxas was a bit troubled by this news, he decided to have faith, and continued looking for opportunities to see his father.

He never spoke to Lord Vexen, as the strange man stayed mostly with his father and paid him little mind. But one day, when Roxas was 11, Vexen advised the king that the countryside was dangerous and that the prince should not be allowed to leave the castle walls by himself. He claimed to be protecting the boy's, and ultimately the kingdom's, interests and well-being, but when Roxas heard the news, he became sad and angry. He didn't understand why his father and Vexen were so intent on keeping him locked in the castle. When he sought his father out, he eventually managed to catch him alone with the exception of Lord Vexen. He begged his father, crying like a child, pleading not to do this. That he loved the people and the kingdom and that no one would try to hurt him! The whole matter was ridiculous!

But Cloud watched him silently, with unseeing eyes, ignoring his requests and finally he ordered Roxas to his room. Roxas was lead unwillingly from the room, his father not looking at him as he left. The king _was_ tired and upset by the whole affair, but Vexen seemed fairly pleased with himself, and he assured the king that the boy was young and understood little of the importance of his safety. After all, he was the kingdom's future. Roxas kept to himself for a while, refusing to speak to his father or anyone else for almost a week. But he knew that arguing was useless. Eventually Roxas accepted his fate, and resolved to apologize for challenging his father's authority and fighting with him over something that now seemed so small. He just wanted to see his father smiling warmly at him again; they hadn't played or read together in so long......

* * *

One day Roxas wandered a dark corridor lined with covered windows and suits of armor, looking for the room where his father was working. It was later in the day and all of the guests from the villages had gone home, so he hoped he could catch his father in the audience chamber. He wanted to apologize so badly....

Suddenly Roxas felt himself collide with something hard, the impact knocking him down. As he looked up and rushed out an apology, he realized we was staring up at Lord Vexen. The man was scowling at him slightly, the darkness and fear in his eyes hidden well by the dimly lit corridor. Although Roxas was in no mood to be pleasant with this man, his manners got the better of him and he stood up, offering Lord Vexen a small, but dignified bow. "I'm sorry, my lord. I wasn't looking where I was going. Um.., h-have you seen my father anywhere?" Vexen looked down at him in slight surprise, but then his features twisted into a small but cruel smile, and without a word, he glided past Roxas down the hall and disappeared.

Roxas starred after him, confused, but the idea struck him then. _Maybe Father won't be busy today! _He brushed himself off from where he had fallen and sprinted down the hall to the door. He opened the far door slightly, smiling brightly as he saw the sillouehte of his father in a nearby chair. Roxas called out a greeting, "Good day, father! I've been looking everywhere for you! I'm...." But as he took in the sight, the last of his words were caught with his throat. That was when he screamed.....

* * *

The king's funeral was brief; Cloud had never been one for lengthy ceremonies in life. All the kingdom turned out to mourn their fallen leader, watching his cremation with silence or stifled sobbing. The official story was that the king had a heart attack and died in his sleep, but a rumor spread that Lord Vexen may have had a hand in it, though no one would dare question his loyalty and wisdom while he was in earshot. Zack, the king's captain of the guard, stood close to the pyre, holding the sobbing prince close as he watched sadly. Roxas neither confirmed nor denounced the rumors, but instead had remained silent for several days. The servants and few friends he had didn't know how they could comfort him, and he remained wracked with grief for a long time after.

The law of the land held that until Roxas was ready to rule at the age of 17, the king's trusted advisor was to manage the affairs of state, and so, without dispute, Vexen rose to power. His rule was harsh and violent; he levied high taxes on the people and imprisoned many who could not afford to pay. He was violent and unpredictable at times, occasionally raiding villages and kidnapping people who he later used as servants. Roxas was deeply saddened by this, but he knew that he could do nothing to stop it right now. Vexen was often cruel to him as well, making him work like the servants. But Roxas resolved himself to remain cheerful and hopeful for the sake of the people, afraid that if he allowed himself to lose heart, they would also. Vexen became jealous of the people's unconditional love for Roxas and of his kindness and beauty, so he forced him to stay in the castle and work. Meanwhile, as the years went by, Vexen worked day and night, experimenting and researching with all matter of sciences and black magics, desiring to eventually remove the keyblade from its pedestal himself. He became more desperate and frustrated every year, and some people feared he would slip into madness. Vexen swore to himself that he would be the kingdom's only true ruler and keep his power and authority forever. He would do whatever it took, remove whoever or whatever he needed to, to get there.


	2. Chapter 2: Morning at the Castle

7 years later. . . . . . .

Roxas had finally finished cleaning the pantry, setting down the bucket and wiping the sweat from his brow with a sigh of relief. He hated doing chores, but he could finally appreciate the sort of work the servants had to go through every day! He hurried to put away his supplies in the closet and walked out of the kitchen. Another boy with darker, spiker hair snored peacefully with his back against one of the tables. Roxas whispered good night to his friend Pence as he shut the door and walked down a hall full of large windows and paintings. Not many others would be up and about at this hour, though he was pretty sure Demyx was around here somewhere....The sun barely peaked over the horizon, letting in a soft red light that illuminated the corridor as he walked past. There was something about the sunrise that was warm and comforting to him, and he decided to take a short detour to the courtyard to admire it better.

After passing through a few more rooms and halls, he reached the familiar wooden door and turned the handle slowly, pulling it back to allow the glorious red light to seep through before he finally stepped outside. Early spring flowers had begun to bloom throughout the gardens, making Roxas smile. _Olette must be working hard, but she really does like these flowers. _There were several different breeds growing out here, but Roxas wandered to a bush from which many white roses had begun to sprout and open. He liked many different colors and breeds of flowers, but roses were his favorite. He bent down to cup a small blossom in his palm, careful not to pull it from its stem, admiring it for a minute. It glowed almost pink in the growing light, sparkling with morning dew. Another sparkling light in the courtyard caught his eye, and Roxas turned to look. The Keyblade stood in the center of the courtyard, and it seemed to share in the glow of the morning, though a bit brighter as if it was radiating life itself. He rose slowly and walked over to, gently reaching out his left hand to rest upon its handle. He smiled and closed his eyes, feeling the heat and power flow through him. Yes, very soon, he could take the throne and set to work fixing all of the problems Vexen had caused or neglected in the last 7 years. Soon...........

He stood there for a while before his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by someone poking the back of his head. He whirled around, yelping in surprise, only to find an older boy with darker blond hair looking down at him brightly and thoughtfully. "Demyx, jeez! How many times have I asked you not to do that?!" Demyx was technically his personal servant, but Roxas thought of his as a friend who worked in the castle. They met shortly after Roxas's father died, and since then Demyx had been his friend and the closet thing he had to family. The older boy followed him almost constantly when not occupied with other work, and although he could annoy Roxas to no end, he was glad to have the company. The castle was almost entirely devoid of any kids his own age, besides Olette who tended the gardens and Pence who worked in the kitchens, but they were often very busy. And the castle could be a very lonely place sometimes.

Demyx smiled playfully and grabbed the younger blond's hand. " I know, but seriously! You were off in your own little world there, and I've been callin you for 5 minutes! Vexen says he wants a word with ya." Roxas immediately frowned. He didn't like Vexen very much, and he could tell Vexen didn't like him, but he tried to get along with him for the people's sake. Not that that could save him from getting more chores or an occasional punch in the face. Yes, Vexen did beat him occasionally, for _insolence_ as he referred to it, but Roxas took it like a man, resolving himself to be able to take whatever his people could. But it still hurt, and Demyx could always sense his apprehension. But Roxas sighed. "Okay, I'm going, I'm going!" He pulled out of Demyx's grip and jogged over to the door. Demyx followed him, calling after, "Don't forget about later! You promised to help me nail that trick I showed you where I can manipulate the water!" Roxas cringed. _If he keeps practicing water magic without books or teachers, he's gonna get us both killed!_

* * *

Back in his chambers, Vexen paced irritably. He had summoned the bratty little prince because of a revelation he had come to this morning........ His room had been dark and cold as he rose that morning and approached the far right closet. Thrusting it open, he gazed at the large shield hanging inside for a moment before he turned around to reveal a slightly smaller mirror hidden on its inside. Laying his hand on the mirror, he spoke, " Spirit of the mirror, by all the powers of ice and dark I summon you. Answer my question and give me my desire!" A fog settled in the mirror before a ghostly face appeared. "What would you know, my lord?" Vexen glared at the face and spat. " I have one more year before I will be forced out of the kingdom by that brat Roxas! I need more time to reveal the secrets of the keyblade! Tell me what I must do to secure my throne!".......

He stopped his pacing and smiled a familiar smile. That boy would get what was coming to him. Oh yes, very soon........

His thoughts broke as the door to his audience chamber opened and in stepped Roxas and Demyx. Roxas looked uncomfortable but attempted to smile as they approached; Demyx was downright giddy and almost pranced ahead to bow before Vexen. Roxas followed suit, though noticeably more slowly.

Vexen gave the boys his sweetest smile. " I have a surprise for you today, Roxas. At the edge of the northern forest is a spring that is known for producing mystic stones. I need some for my experiments, and you and Demyx will go and find me some." Roxas could have choked. Had he heard that right? _He's letting me go outside the castle today? _"Really?!" He asked excitedly, unable to hide his childish delight. Vexen smiled back, hiding the malice in his face and voice well, though a bit of his usual dryness was apparent. " Yes, really. The two of you can leave at noon; there will be a escort awaiting you at a check point I've marked on your map. They will await you in the closest village and make sure you return safely. But you must be sure to make your way back to the check point before it gets dark. Do you understand?" The boy nodded enthusiastically. "I understand! Thank you, Lord Vexen!" Roxas turned around and sped off for his room, a noticeable skip in his step as he went. Demyx turned to follow him as well, delighted to see his friend so happy, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Do not leave yet, Demyx." Vexen whispered in his ear, a wicked smile crossing his face. "I have another important job for you." He handed Demyx a box and continued to whisper in his ear. Demyx's blue eyes widened in alarm as he turned to face the lord. "What?!....Why?!...No, you can't! I wouldn't.....I won't!..." Vexen looked at him, face without mercy or sympathy, his eyes glaring darkly into Demyx's. "That is an order." In a flash, he was gone, but the malice in the air had yet to disappear. Demyx stood still for a second before falling to the floor, sobbing with despair. "What can I do?! I'm sorry, Roxas......."


	3. Chapter 3: Betrayal

They set out later that day, horses packed with food for the trip. It was a few hours' ride from the castle, but the spring Vexen mentioned was on the outskirts of the kingdom. What lay beyond the forest was unknown territory, as no one in the kingdom dared to explore its dark depths. Demyx rode in silence most of the way as he watched Roxas peer about excitedly at the villages they passed through. People greeted them warmly, and Roxas enjoyed the freedom of being out among the people again. He assured them of his support and left with occasional gifts from the people he talked to. As they neared the spring, Roxas glanced back at Demyx. "Hey, Dem, are you alright? You seem kinda sad. Is something wrong?" Demyx blinked and shook his head. "Nah, Roxas, I'm okay." Roxas frowned slightly. It wasn't like Demxy to be quiet......ever! But he pushed the thought aside as the waterfall and forest came into view.

The sun had lowered considerable by the time they finished collecting stones, and Roxas threw himself down on the grass while Demyx rummaged through the saddlebags. The boy closed his eyes and sighed. _It's a nice change fro m doing chores around the stuffy, old castle! _ A couple of storm clouds seemed to be rolling in, once in a while hiding the bright sun from view. Before he knew it, Roxas had dosed off.

He dreamed about his father, remembering a time when things were happier and more peaceful. He was 7 years old again, father behind him on a tall palomino stallion, motioning him to look ahead. Roxas turned back to look in front of him and he gasped in excitement as he saw crimson and gold festival tents lining the town before them. Lively music could be heard from the village, and people danced through the streets in elaborate red-themed costumes, singing the praises of fire and life.

"What are they celebrating, father?" "My son, they are celebrating the fire festival, a time when they pay homage to their local deity and celebrate the brightness and warmth of life-giving flames." Roxas smiled, eyes widening with understanding. "It looks like fun! Can we go?" Cloud placed a hand upon his shoulder, causing him to turn around to face him. Cloud held out his other hand and with the word "Fire" a small flame danced to life in the palm of his hand. "Yes, Roxas. Fire is truly an important element that protects us, cooks our food, and warms us at night. But you must always remember that fire can harm as well as heal, and regardless of a man's status or power, fire cannot be tamed." The fire in his hand grew larger and larger, seemingly without control, it's light reflecting in Roxas's bright blue eyes. " To attempt to do so is foolish. You must always respect it for the force of nature that it is." The fire disappeared, and Roxas looked up at his father, eyes still full of wonder but narrowed slightly in all seriousness. "I understand, father......."

* * *

A short time later, Roxas swore he heard a clap of thunder, and he knew it was time to get back before they both got soaking wet. The grass beneath him was beginning to grow cooler, moisture already forming on some of the blades as a mist was no doubt settling in. He felt a shadow fall over him that he was certain was not a cloud, and he opened his eyes to greet Demyx. He wasn't prepared for what he saw.

Demyx was indeed standing over him, but his face was full of tears and he had one arm pinning Roxas down. The other hand began to move from behind his back to reveal a short, but sharp-pointed dagger. Roxas looked up at him, confused and afraid, struggling to sit up. "Demyx, I don't understand! What are you......What's going on?!" Demyx looked down at him with a look of utter sorrow, and after a long silence in which neither of them moved Demyx suddenly he fell backwards and sobbed. "I can't do it! I'm so sorry, Roxas! I-I was ordered by Vexen to k-kill you.....I don't know w-why but he threatened me i-if I wouldn't do it! Sorry," he cried. Roxas looked at him, shock and confusion still on his face. He wasn't sure what was happening, but it was a bit disquieting to see the older boy, who was always so happy and jumpy, look at him that way. But he reached over to Demyx and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I'm not mad at you, Demyx. I just...don't understand..." He didn't get to finish before Demyx burst out. "You have to leave, Roxas! I don't know what Vexen is planning, but he was serious about me killing you! It's not safe!" Roxas blinked. Demyx was entirely serious, a sudden ferocity and urgency in his sad eyes that startled Roxas more than ever. "But where should I-" "No time!" Demyx shouted, shaking him rougher than he intended to, "Just go! Run into the woods, go anywhere, just not here!" Roxas was on his feet, running to his horse to grab what food he could from his saddlebags and without looking back or saying another word he took off. The dark woods closed in around him, and more thunder sounded in the distance as he headed off into the unknown.

Demyx watched him go, tears staining his cheeks. At that moment the sky opened up and rained down on him, a chilly silence filling the area. Demyx motioned with his hand, and the water falling directly around him moved away as if an invisible barrier stopped the rain from soaking him further. The forest seemed even more dark and foreboding with the darkening sky and rain. Pressing a hand over his eyes, Demyx whispered. "I'm so sorry, Roxas. Please be alright.........."

* * *

Mind racing, Roxas ran down a narrow path with dead-looking trees on either side, tearing at his face, hair, and clothes as he ran. Night had settled in and the storm made the going slow and treacherous; Roxas continued to slip in the mud as he ran in no particular direction. _Why is this happening?! And more importantly, where am I? _He thought. In the dark he couldn't see where he was going, and trees kept popping up where he didn't expect them, causing him to slam into them with enough force to knock the breath out of him. He continued forward, shivering in the cold rain, when suddenly his foot caught on a tree root and he fell harshly into what seemed to be a small ravine. Rocks battered him as he fell, and when he reached the bottom after what felt like ages, he slammed into a large rock and cried out in pain. After a few minutes he tried to stand and found that he couldn't. The rain and thunder had almost stopped, but he could hear a rushing stream just ahead of him. He lay still, panting and crying, feeling his eye lids grow heavier. _I want to go home...._ With one last whimper, he fainted on the cold, wet forest floor, unable to think or hear anything else as he drifted away to his own thoughts.....


	4. Chapter 4: Rescued

This is my first ever brainstormed story, so reviews are appreciated! I'll try to get chapters out consistently and work more on character or scenery development :)

Axel Hino lived in a log cabin deep in the woods, a bit of a hermit by nature. He had lived there alone for most of his childhood, his mother having caught a strange illness when he was about 15. Now, at the age of 21, he worked mostly by himself, finding and making whatever he needed or bartering with traders who passed by the road. He had some friends in the mine where he worked, but he didn't feel very close to anyone in particular. The loss of his mother shut him off from most of the outside world, and he swore to never love anyone like that again, because in the end, all it really does is get you hurt.

That night, as the storm rolled in, Axel came home to his cabin and lit a fire in the fireplace. He loved watching the embers dance to life and glow; he wasn't sure where his thing for fire had come from though. He wasn't particularly hungry so he settled himself on the couch with a book and started reading. Rain tapped at the windows, and lightning illuminate the pictures above the hearth. A red-haired woman looked out from one frame, a kind smile on her face as she held a laughing red-head boy in her arms.

In an hour or so, the store seemed to be dying down, and Axel raised his head to glance out the window. _That was quick. Hope it didn't do too much damage. _He knew storms could get very rough this time of the year. He decided to go out and survey the damage, taking a bucket with him to collect stream water for his chores. The running water from the sink didn't seem trustworthy, no matter how many times he tried to filter it. Grabbing his green cloak from the closet, he made sure his keys were in his pocket before making his way to the wooden front door. When he stepped outside he noticed large fallen branches lying only feet away from the door, and the trees around the sides of the cabin looked battered by wind and rain. That could have done some serious damage; it was lucky he wouldn't have to replace any windows or broken logs. Although there may be a leaky roof problem he would have to attend to later. He grimaced at the thought of more work, but decide to think about it more later. It was freezing cold tonight, and Axel was in no mood to stand outside all night.

He moved the branches to the side of the house, intending to use them for firewood later, and then made his way towards the stream. Animals were stirring slightly from their shelters, but all of them hid when Axel passed by. He came to a patch of thorn bushes, turning on his heel slightly to walk around them, not missing a beat despite the darkness. He had had a couple of nasty incidents with said bushes before though, he recalled with minimal amusement. When he finally made it to the stream, he swore he saw something yellow and pale on the opposite side. Out of curiosity, he crossed the stream on the left and made his way over. Chocobo were not known to wander this forest at night, but Axel had the sneaking suspition that what lay in front of him was not a Chocobo.

Sure enough, he was right. A small, pale blond boy was lying on the ground in front of him, unconscious. He didn't look older than 16. Axel picked up his pace and when he reached him he knelt beside the boy. Axel took him by the shoulders and turned him over so he was lying on his back. The boy had an almost feminine face, though he was certainly a guy. He was short for his age, not carrying much with him and dressed in what appeared to be traveling clothes, though they didn't look at all suited to the night's weather. There were cuts and bruises all over him, he was soaking wet and covered in mud, and the side of his head appeared to be bleeding. Reaching out to touch his face, Axel cringed a little when it felt as cold as ice. He shook the boy slightly, trying to rouse him, but he remained unresponsive. "Oi, kid! You okay?" Axel was more annoyed than worried, but he had no choice. He didn't know who this kid was, but he wasn't one to let someone die out in the cold. He checked the boy for other bruises before concluding it was alright to move him. Tossing the bucket carelessly to his side, deciding he would come back for it later, Axel eventually managed to get the sleeping boy on his back. He felt the boy's faint heart beat from where he rested on his back. _He's still breathing, but that isn't saying much. I just know this'll turn out to be a pain in the ass..... _With that he walked back home.

Axel brought the boy home, cleaned him up and bandaged his wounds as best he could, before setting him down on the couch in his living room. Though his clothes were all too big for the boy, Axel found him something that at the very least would keep him from freezing to death. He also found what blankets he could and wrapped them around him until he seemed warm enough. The boy wasn't cold to the touch as he had been when Axel first found him, but instead he seemed to swung around to have a raging fever instead. Axel sighed, pulling a small vial of purple liquid out of a drawer in the hall and grabbing a spoon and bowl of water from the kitchen before coming back over to the living room couch. He settled himself in front of the boy and poured some of the contents of the vial onto the spoon. Thus, with a gentle but firm hand began nursing the unconscious boy back to health.

He whimpered slightly as Axel applied a wet cloth to his forehead and parted his lips to give him the medicine. Axel felt bad for him because he knew from experience that the medicine was anything but pleasant, but he knew it would make the pain and fever more bearable. The boy coughed and choked several times as the liquid left a burning taste in his mouth and throat, and Axel waited patiently before administering the stuff again. When he finished Axel placed a hand on the boy's face, noticing that he seemed to breath easier. Satisfied with that, he watched the boy for a few moments before going moving to put away his medical supplies.

He wandered off to the kitchen and pulled out a can of soup from the pantry. _He's probably gonna need this. That's usually all I could down after taking that crap. Why is it that the things that fix you up always have to be so awful? _Axel laughed a little at that, thinking of a few times when he was sick as a kid, giving his mother hell only to have her dish it out right back. He set the can down on the table and retrieved his book from the living room quietly, so as not to disturb his guest. Axel doubted he'd sleep much tonight anyway, as he flipped through the pages. The sky outside was still dark, although through peaks in the clouds he could see a few stars glowing brightly. He smiled at them before calling forth "fire" to light the candle beside him on the table. He sat at the counter, reading his book until the time came for the kid to wake up. Despite what he'd thought, he too eventually leaned over the counter and fell asleep. The day must have worn him out more than he thought....


	5. Chapter 5: Rude Awakening

Axel snapped awake as a scream sounded through the cabin. He rushed to the living room to find the boy he rescued thrashing and screaming, his eyes tightly shut. Afraid he was going to hurt himself, Axel grabbed hold of his shoulders and shook him as gently as he could. "Hey, kid! Take it easy!" The boy was pretty strong for his size! After a minute the boy's eyes snapped open and he stopped thrashing before falling silent again. Axel was worried at first, but checking his pulse he concluded that he had fallen back asleep. _Must have been one hell of a nightmare. _He gently laid the boy back against the couch, pulling the blankets back up around his shoulders and sitting down on the floor beside him.

He watched the boy sleep for a few minutes, his chest rising and falling softly as his breathing returned to normal. The blonde murmured softly in his sleep, saying things Axel couldn't catch, his eyebrows occasionally creasing as he slept. Axel leaned over to brush some a few spiky locks from his eyes. The color was returning to his face, and Axel smiled down at him. _This kid's kinda cute, really. _A bit surprised, Axel shook his thoughts away as he got up and wandered back to the kitchen to start the soup he pulled out earlier.

* * *

Floating in and out of dreams, Roxas could see the surface ahead. He moved towards it slowly at first, eventually pushing as hard as he could. The surface was clear and bright, reflecting a strange light above him. Moving faster, he reached out his hand, intent on breaking the shimmering surface......

"Hmm.......... what's..."He felt warm and comfortable, wherever he was, but that didn't seem right. He remembered the events of the previous day, Vexen's unusual request, his confrontation with Demyx......

"Demyx!"

Roxas shot up as the thought struck him, panic fluttering in his chest. Looking around at his unfamiliar surroundings didn't seem to make him feel much better. The room was filled with wooden furniture, a table with a candle on it sitting beside his bed.....er, couch. Before him stood a large fireplace with pictures lining its top; he looked to those to see if he could find some clues, but they were further away and he was stuck under a sea of blankets. The colors around the room, even though it was dark, had a red theme to them, made only more so by the slight light of dawn peaking over the horizon he could see out the window to his left.

Sighing, he lay back against the pillow behind him, when a sharp pain in his head caused him to moan. Placing a hand to his head, he felt a bandage there, and upon looking over his arms and torso he found more bandages. He felt warm and disoriented, but soon he heard a sound that made him freeze. Footsteps from the hall behind the couch shook him out of his thoughts, and as he looked up a tall, skinny red-haired man appeared. "So, back with the living, eh, kid?" He looked to be somewhere in his early twenties, dressed in worn-out jeans and a dark sweatshirt; pretty common-looking, aside from his crazy spiky red hair. Roxas did not allow himself to panic. _Sure, I'm in the home of a complete stranger, but hey, if he wanted me dead he could have left me alone. So....maybe he'll be nice? _Roxas realized that the red-head had meant for him to answer and putting on whatever smile he could, he nodded to him weakly. He shivered and pulled the blankets closer around him, despite himself.

The red-head chuckled. "You don't have to be so nervous, shorty! The name's Axel, and you're free to stay til you feel better or if you have nowhere else to go! Got it memorized?" Roxas frowned back at him. "Don't call me short!.......Thanks for saving me, though. My name's Roxas, it's nice to meet you." Axel stared back at him. "Roxas, hm? Well, it's a.......wait......You don't mean Prince Roxas, from Strife's kingdom?!" Roxas stopped dead. Had he just done something he shouldn't have? Roxas wasn't a very common name, even outside the kingdom, and the boy knew that most people were angry at Vexen for the way he treated them, but he never even considered someone holding a grudge against _him_ or thinking they could get to Vexen through him. Vexen wouldn't bat an eye, that much he could assure them. But he slowly answered, "Yes."


	6. Chapter 6: Time to Work

Axel gaped at him. _Why was the prince here? _True, the border of Strife's kingdom ended at the southern end of the forest, but it was still odd that a royal would be out here alone. Roxas didn't look like he got outside the castle much, let alone wandering through the forest in the middle of a storm. "What in hell's name were you doing running around in a thunderstorm, kid?I mean, spring has barely started yet, and it always gets deathly cold this time of night, for one thing! And another-" He was interrupted by Roxas, who had curled in with his arms around his knees and his head lowered. He seemed to be shaking a bit, and as Axel got closer he could see the boy was crying softly. Axel sighed. "Hey, Rox, come on.... I didn't mean to upset you." Roxas shook his head slightly. "N-no, it's not that. I just...don't understand...so much has-s happened, and I-I was afraid..." Axel came over and put his hand on the boy's shoulder, trying to think of the best way to comfort him. _He must have really been through something. I wonder what happened? _But Axel chose not to press the matter. Instead, he sat down beside Roxas and pulled him into a warm embrace, earning a yelp of surprise from the boy. Axel sighed. "You don't have to talk about it til you're ready, okay, Roxas? Just focus on getting your strength back for right now. Don't worry about it, I'm not gonna hound you." Roxas continued to cry, whispering a small "thanks" and "sorry" as he rested his head on Axel's chest.

Axel sighed. He didn't know why, but something about this boy seemed to soften him inside. He patted Roxas awkwardly on the head, staring at the picture of his mother up on the hearth. _If only you could see me now, Mom. I guess I have my hands full for a little while, won't I?_

Roxas knew it didn't do any good to cry, but the events of yesterday really took a lot out of him, and the fear was present in his eyes. He felt embarrassed and weak when he cried, and he still thought such things were better to be kept inside. What would the people think if they saw their trusted friend and king weeping like a child? But he _was_ still a child, whether or not he wanted to admit it. He rested against Axel for a while longer, smiling sadly. The red head was very warm and comforting, and Roxas eventually found himself drifting back to sleep as the last tears rolled down his cheeks.

Axel sighed when he noticed that Roxas had fallen asleep, and gently laid him back against the couch. He then stood up and returned to the kitchen. He wasn't sure he liked where things were headed; he didn't want to get an angry dictator or kingdom out here chasing after him for abducting their prince. At the same time, he couldn't leave Roxas to fend for himself out in the wild, not after the little show he just got. But he needed to be aware of the situation before he could decide the best action, and it was obvious that the kid needed some time before he would talk. But Axel would give him the space he needed until that time.

It was almost time to head off to the mine, and he wrote a brief note to leave on the old, beat-up fridge for Roxas so he wouldn't panic when he finally got up. He snagged his lunch from the fridge, grabbed his bag of tools from the closet near the front door, and set off to work that morning. He reminded himself not to mention Roxas to the other guys, as he wasn't sure whether or not they might make trouble if they found out. There had to be a good reason for the crown prince running around out here without supervision...

The mine lay just before him, a path of small stones laid out just before the entrance. A couple of large carts were sitting by the entrance, one of which appeared to have a person sleeping in it. "Luxord. Jeez, don't you ever go home? Get up, man, time's a wasting." The man blinked at him briefly and smiled. "Good morning, Axel. I didn't think you'd be here this early. Did a new girlfriend kick you out for the night?" Axel turned red slightly, but punched the guy lightly in the arm. "Get real, you lazy bastard." Luxord climbed out of the cart, chuckling. "Oh yeah, you never seemed to have much of a thing for girls." He picked up a hard hat from the small shed near the mine before heading down to the depths of the earth. Axel never wore those dumb hats, they'd mess up his hair. He followed after him slowly........

* * *

Back at the cabin, Roxas woke up again, only hours later. He rubbed the sleep and dried tears from his eyes as he sat up. The sun was almost to the middle of the sky, which was a bright, cloudless blue. He stood up and decided to wander the house, seeing that Axel didn't seem to be around. He didn't feel the crushing warm feeling he felt before, but he still walked slowly with a hand tentatively placed on the wall if he needed support. As he neared the kitchen, he caught the scent of something good, making his stomach growl. He laughed at himself, moving towards the smell of food. Upon close inspection of the kitchen, he found the note telling him where Axel had gone, and he helped himself to some of the soup on the old-fashioned stove. The cabin had a few necessities to it, but it lacked lamps or a proper heating system. There were one or two sinks with running water, but that was it. Roxas concluded that Axel must be a miner, but he had never heard of anyone living in the northern forest, whether they were knights or peasants or miners alike. Everyone he talked to told frightening tales of this old forest, saying monsters and other strange things of legend lurked inside. He wasn't sure what was true, but he knew that just about everyone was afraid of coming here. _It must take a lot of guts to live out here all alone. _Opening a cabinet in search of a bowl, Roxas cringed in a look of disgust. There was dust and cob webs everywhere, and it was the same for every drawer or cabinet he opened. _I guess he doesn't entertain guests much._

Roxas managed to clean out a bowl and spoon and ate almost all of the soup. He really wolfed it down, figuring no one was around to notice his awful manners. He then cleaned up after himself, and as he did so Roxas realized he had no idea what he could do until Axel came home. The red head hadn't left any other notes lying around....Then it dawned on him. _He saved my life, so the least I can do to thank him is save him from getting buried in the crap he's left around here! Jeez, how can people even live in this stuff?! _He searched a few minutes for cleaning supplies, laughing that they were old and virtually unused, and slowly he set about cleaning up the house. It was just like any other morning really, except this time he was doing it because he wanted to, to help a friend.

As Axel worked to free some ore from a particularly stubborn rock, he felt himself sneezing. Was someone talking about him? A voice jarred him back to reality, "Hey, Axel! You better keep your head in the game, here! Wouldn't want to push your luck and get crushed when you're not paying attention, would you?" _Damn it, Luxord! I'm working, I'm working! _He wouldn't risk yelling at him out loud with the others here, or else he might get reported to Xaldin, and Axel _really _didn't want that to happen! That guy was harsh with shirkers. He grudgingly got back to work, wondering to himself if Roxas was awake yet......


	7. Chapter 7: The Feeling of Home

This may be a good time to mention, I don't own Kingdom Hearts. :)

Roxas worked steadily throughout the day, stopping once or twice when the cut on his head began to bother him. By the end, as he walked through the house surveying each room, he smiled, satisfied with the job he'd done. He was eager for Axel to come home; he didn't know where he would go from here, but he wanted to learn more about the red-head.

Roxas stopped at the hearth, looking at each picture intently. Stopping on the picture of who he assumed was Axel's mother, he gazed at it thoughtfully for a while. For someone who looked so happy among people, why did he live out here by himself? Roxas took a seat on the couch again, not sure of when Axel would be coming home. He thought about trying to cook dinner for the two of them, but remembering past experiences of Pence wildly running around trying to put out fires and then running him like a madman out of the kitchen stopped Roxas from seriously pursuing the thought. Wondering what everyone at the castle was doing, Roxas leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. So much had happened so quickly; ignoring the stress, Roxas pushed all thought from his mind..........

* * *

Demyx had returned very late that day, by himself, sending the whole castle into an uproar. Vexen had ordered him to kill Roxas and bring back his heart in the oddly-shaped box Vexen had given him. Lucky for Demyx, who had grown up on a farm for most of his life before coming to work at the castle, he was able to slip back to his home village and kill a pig, whose heart he intended to use instead. Vexen, who didn't know about the switch, was pleased, and he reported to the people that Roxas had indeed been killed. Fake sorrow apparent in his voice, he arranged for a funeral for Roxas that would take place the following week. The servants moved about the castle slowly, practically trudging to work as sadness weighed heavily on their hearts.

Demyx told only Pence and Olette that Roxas had escaped, and the three of them sat around the kitchen which was, for that time in the morning, empty. Pence sighed, "I wonder if Roxas is alright." "Be quiet, Pence! They might hear you!" Olette looked around briefly to check for eavesdroppers, then looked back to Demyx and Pence. "I'm sure he'll be fine. He's tougher than you guys give him credit for." Demyx, who was sitting atop a pickle barrel near the counter, sincerely hoped she was right. That storm had come at the worst possible time, after all. But he knew, despite all the guilt he felt, that Roxas wouldn't be mad at him. He was just too nice for that.

"Yeah, we should keep up hope." He chimed in, when suddenly the top of the barrel he was sitting on broke ad he fell through, getting himself stuck and struggling uselessly. Olette and Pence looked up shocked for a moment, then the three of them burst out laughing and the two mobile teens moved to help Demyx out of his.....well, pickle. Roxas would laugh if he could see this! The thought cheered them up, though they were unaware that someone had begun to watch them behind the shadow of the door......

* * *

Axel's shoulders slumped forward as he walked home. He was beat. Absolutely beat from work today. Xigbar had chucked a rock at him earlier while he wasn't paying attention, and thus a fight ensued. They had both gotten a nasty beating from Xaldin, but Axel was used to rough labor and so he could barely feel the bruises anymore. Though he could feel all the hours picking away at that particularly stubborn rock. Sighing, he realized he was going to have to cook dinner for two tonight, assuming the kid didn't know how. Hopefully he hadn't shot himself out of boredom by now.

As he walked along the path he could hear the crickets chirping all around. The sky was full of stars tonight; he looked up and thought how truly beautiful it all was. Sometimes he missed being around people, he guessed. But thinking about the serene beauty and quiet of the woods, he knew he would never want to live in a noisy village. He then wondered how Roxas's life had been; was it noisy and busy or quiet and laid back? He filled these aside as questions to ask later, and approaching the wooden door of the cabin he slowly pulled out a key and turned it in the lock. The house was dark inside, no lights had been lit, so maybe Roxas was still asleep. He hoped the kid hadn't run away while he wasn't home. As he lit a few lights and walked though rooms, he noticed something odd.......

Roxas's blue eyes snapped open when he heard a yell from one of the rooms. Throwing off the blankets he dashed down the hall to find shocked green eyes suddenly staring back into his blue.

Axel was home. He didn't look angry or hurt, he just seemed surprised. Something must have clicked though, because the red-head then smiled. "Hey, shorty, what'd you do to the house? It looks pretty good. At first I thought things were out of place and maybe we got robbed or something." Roxas frowned. "I'm not short, okay! And I wanted to do something helpful, because you _did_ save my life." A big smile then spread across his features. "And besides, who wants to live with a complete slob?" Axel playfully glared back. "I'm not a slob, you're just a spoiled brat!" Roxas stuck out his tongue in response and Axel chuckled. "Well, I take it I'm in charge of dinner then. So, you hungry?" At that point Roxas heard his stomach growl and laughed nervously, but he smiled brightly at the red-head and nodded. "Okay, well, I'll go fix something up. Oh, by the way, I have the day off tomorrow so would you like a better tour of the forest? It's not as scary as people make it out to be; people just fear what they don't understand, you know?" Roxas nodded. He had felt a bit apprehensive of going back through the woods, remembering the horrible night before. But, Axel seemed to think it was fine, so he supposed he shouldn't worry about it. _It would give us some time to talk, too._

Axel made his way into the kitchen, and from where he stood he heard Axel rummaging through the food cabinets he had organized earlier. "Well, we have soup........canned beans.........uh......more soup...........Hey, Rox! How do you feel about soup for dinner?" Roxas laughed. "Sure, as long as you don't burn it."

Throughout the meal they talked about what they did that day. Axel described some of the people at the mine where he worked; Roxas laughed because he could tell Axel thought Xaldin was an absolute jerk. Roxas, while still uncomfortable talking about why he had run away, did tell Axel a little about his friends back at the castle. Axel cringed at the name Demyx; why did it sound so familiar, and not in a good way? Afterward, they decided to go to sleep early to have an early start the next day. Axel lent Roxas some pajamas, although everything he had was a little too big for him, and Axel insisted he take he his bed while Axel would take the floor. Roxas was too tired to argue for very long, and eventually he grudgingly took the bed and fell asleep almost on contact. Axel watched him for a little while, remembering how nice it was to have someone around to talk to. He leaned back on the floor, his hands behind his head, taking in all that had happened in the past two days. Soon, he too rolled over and fell asleep. He hoped the kid wasn't a heavy sleeper, it'd be a pain to have to wake him up early..........


	8. Chapter 8: The Time to Move On

Roxas was the first one to wake up. The sun barely leaked into the room through a window to the far right of the bed. Glancing down and over, he noticed Axel curled up on the rug to the left of the bed. He smiled, although he felt a bit guilty about stealing Axel's bed. He jumped out of bed and leaned down until his face was level with Axel's. He began to poke his nose, laughing when Axel sleepily swatted at his hand. After a few minutes of that, Roxas started to tickle him, and his eyes finally popped open as he laughed.

He was staring into bright blue eyes not far away from his face, though instantly his eyes watered and he struggled to knock the blond boy off of him. "Roxas, c-come on! Get off, would ya?!" They both laughed until a few minuted later when Axel finally pushed him off. He sat up, panting, noticing the position of the sun as it lit up his room. "How'd you get up before me? I thought the spoiled prince would sleep the day away." Roxas jabbed back. "I AM NOT a spoiled prince! And FYI, I do just as much around the castle as everyone else! Except maybe Lord Vexen, but......yeah." Roxas practically spat the name out, and instantly his expression soured.

"I take it you don't like the guy." That must have been the understatement of the year, because then Roxas started talking a mile a minute. "When he first showed up he didn't seem that bad, but since my father died it's like it's his job in life to make everyone miserable! Whatever killed my father, I just know he had something to do with it, and I just-" Axel stopped him. "Woah, now! Slow down, kid. This would make more sense from the beginning, don't you think?" Roxas curtly nodded, and Axel down sat crossed-legged beside him, waiting for him to tell him everything on his own terms.......

* * *

Axel listened patiently, asking questions when he needed to. From what Roxas described, this Vexen guy sounded like a power-hungry dictator, and it was just an unfortunate coincidence that Strife's kingdom was the place he chose and Roxas happened to be in his way.

Roxas told him everything; he told him about his father, and all the times they had spent together. His father taught him a bit of swordplay, though the sword Cloud preferred to use was almost ridiculously larger than any normal sword Roxas had chosen. Cloud have given him an entire library for his own use, as he believed any good ruler should be well-read and knowledgeable. They read anything from fairy-tales to strategy journals; Roxas had enjoyed every moment of it, though mostly he was content to be spending time with his father. He never knew his mother, and he could tell Cloud felt guilty that he didn't have a motherly influence to balance out his upbringing. But Roxas had been happy all the same. He was sad when his father became busier and busier, but he put on a strong face knowing that it was for the good of the kingdom.

As Roxas retold these memories, Axel stopped him occasionally to hold him and wipe the tears from his cheeks, which he knew Roxas appreciated although he sobbed quietly. The longest of these moments came when he told Axel about the day he had found his father dead, sitting in his audience chamber with a look of pure horror in his cold, dead eyes. "I-I ne-never told a-anyone this, I just couldn't-" "Hey, Rox. It's fine. You were just a kid, and you were scared. You can't blame yourself for what happened. It's okay to be sad, but you need to keep moving forward." The blond buried in his chest continued to cry, but he could tell that Roxas felt better getting this all out. It was like a great weight was lifting of his chest, and Axel smiled. "Does that feel better, kid?" The blond boy nodded. "Yeah." Axel sighed. _Maybe there's some baggage I could use to lose too. _

* * *

Once Roxas composed himself, Axel shared with him a little of his own past. His father left home when he was born, not content to be tied down with a wife and kid. When Axel was old enough he and his mother had left their village, right before Roxas had been born, and moved to the cabin he lived in now. The village reminded them too much of the man who departed from their lives. His mother had a fiery nature; she wasn't afraid of the unknown forest, and she marched boldly ahead when he cowered and cried, urging him on whenever he felt down. He could tell that his father's abandonment had broken her heart though, and the smile she had as he grew up only masked the sadness she felt. Roxas smile sadly, remembering the kind, beautiful woman from the picture.......

The sadness proved too much, as one day years later she caught a mysterious illness and it consumed her slowly and painfully. The man who treated her agreed to take Axel with him, to prevent him catching the disease himself, and before Axel was pulled away from her bedside screaming, she told him to never give up hope or loose faith in others as she had. The parting smile he received was enough to break his heart in two, and for many years after that he continued to sulk and shut out the rest of the world.

He was old enough to be on his own after she died, but the man who lived with him, a miner and wanderer by trade, took him under his wing. The man was silent and harsh, but he taught Axel to accept reality and work to change his own destiny. And although Axel was bitter that he had had to leave his mother to die alone, he accepted the man's help as it taught him to take care of himself; he had promised to live on for his mother's sake. The miner introduced him to Xaldin, who he now worked for, and vanished one day just as quickly as he had appeared. Axel had stared out the open doorway, into the early morning sun, as he uttered a small farewell. "Guess I'll see you around, Saix."

From then he shut the door and never looked back.

* * *

Roxas listened intently to Axel's story. Axel didn't stop and cry as he had, but the pain was present in his cat-like green eyes as he spoke, and Roxas understood that people grieve in different ways. But he told Axel then that if it was okay for him to cry, it was okay for Axel to cry as well, and Roxas promised to be there when he needed that support.

When they had finished their long heart to heart, they sat in silence for a long time. Shadows of late morning clouds passed over the floor by the window, and the quiet was filled with chirping birds. It was the warmest day of spring so far. After a few more minutes Roxas broke the stillness, smiling and placing a hand on Axel's shoulder to show he understood. Axel returned the smile, and the two of them stood up and stretched. _It's time for us both to move on. _Axel then caught his attention. "Well, before we go on our walk, want to go rinse off in the stream? I don't know about you, but I've gone a couple of days without a bath and I feel horrible!" Roxas joked back. "Yeah, i got all sweaty from cleaning yesterday. And you do really need to do something about that smell! No wonder Saix left so early that day! Any longer and he might have suffocated in here!" Axel smiled, green eyes glaring playfully. "Alright, wise guy. Let's go."

Axel left and returned with a few towels and soap, and together they walked down to the stream. Down a little ways from the crossing, the stream got deeper and deeper until they finally reached clearing harboring an large pond. Axel jumped in while Roxas gingerly tested the water. It was much warm than it was that night......Before he got too lost in thought, he was suddenly grabbed by his foot and dragged under the water. When they both broke the surface, they splashed back and forth at each other, laughing like two long-lost childhood friends. To them the day was young, and they enjoyed every last minute of it. Time passed and they continued to grow closer, but big changes were also to come in time, some of which could strike hard at the unprepared........

Another chapter's come and gone! I apologize for the little character development in the beginning, but I brought some more of it out now. Hope you all like it so far. Like I said, reviews are helpful, since this is my first real story............Thanks. :)


	9. Chapter 9: A Looming Shadow

About a Month Later:

Vexen was wondering the halls again today, this time noticeably more irritated than the last. The servants quietly greeted him as he passed, quick to avert their eyes or hide their previous conversations. Servants were well known for spreading gossip; everyone from the maids and butlers to the cook and captain of the guard seemed to spread rumors, and how they would spread like wildfires! Such a matter was precisely his concern today. Vexen didn't even acknowledge them as they passed, he continued on until he reached the door to a familiar blue and silver-themed room.

His chambers were dark and cold as always; no light seemed to penetrate the heavy satin curtains that hung untouched over the windows. Opening the closet as he had many times before, he prepared to call forth the ghostly spirit in the mirror. He had begun calling the spirit on a regular basis now, ever since the morning where he had heard some of the younger servants talking about Roxas. He had not caught all of their conversation, but the hopefulness in their voices and their laughing at a time when most of the kingdom was weighed down in deep sorrow made him feel strangely suspicious. And although the mirror assured him each time that the boy was dead, he worked harder and harder at his research everyday, rarely leaving his laboratory during the day, afraid that his time to ascend properly to the throne could be ruined when he only had mere months to wait!

The ghostly face appeared at his call, his expression grim. "What would you know, my lord?" "Damn it, Zexion! You know damn well what i want! Just tell me that the boy is indeed dead!" Zexion sighed. "My lord, you ask this every day. Is that not the boy's heart you keep in the chest?" He motioned with his head. Vexen glanced over his shoulder to the large set of drawers beside his bed, a familiar box sitting on top of the smooth, cold surface. Vexen's icy blue eyes returned to glare at the mirror. Zexion sighed again, and then he began to chant a spell he had heard one too many times already. " Oh fates that suffer time's control, harken now to this wandering soul. By the powers of darkness I demand of thee, show thy master what he wishes to see!" A fog began to obscure Zexion from view, and Vexen stared into the swirling mist as places and objects began to take shape. After a few minutes the fog had completely cleared, and as Vexen felt satisfied with the mirror's answer, a ripple broke the surface, making his eyes widen in anger and surprise. "No! That isn't possible!".............and yet, there it was.

* * *

Back at the woods, the evidence of spring had completely settled in, as young animals scurried about and flowers bloomed in the warm sunlight. Out behind a familiar cabin a young blond was chopping small logs into suitable firewood with an axe. Dressed in a black and grey tunic, the boy continued to work until a call from inside the cabin stopped him. He called back to the figure inside, setting down the axe and stretching his arms before he walked back to the front of the house.

Axel stood by kitchen sink, having finished preparing the rabbit he had caught earlier for what would be an early dinner. He saw Roxas pass by the window, heard him enter though the front door, as he shouted something about being in his room for a little while before another door was heard closing down the hall. Axel smiled. It seemed like only a short time ago that he had found Roxas half-dead by the stream. In reality, that wasn't far from the truth; it was almost the one month anniversary of Roxas coming to live with him. The kid had gotten his strength back, his injuries from that fateful night healed in good time, though he was still a squirt for his age and therefore couldn't work with Axel at the mine. But he needed to keep on the down-low anyway, so that wasn't really a problem. He mostly spent his time doing things around the house, and although he had nearly burned down the whole forest once, Axel finally managed to teach him how to cook meals. _And he thought I would be the one to burn this place down! _

In the time they had spent wandering the forest, he and Roxas learned something interesting that not even Roxas had known he was capable of. For some reason, Roxas seemed to be more in tune with animals than Axel was. He had always loved animals as a child, learning to ride horses from his father's friend Aerith and playing with the hunting dogs owned by Zack, his father's captain of the guard. They had always been friendly with him, but he just assumed that he was easy to warm up to. Roxas practiced calling various animals, seeing if they would come when he called. Axel didn't believe in animal spirits or gods, but he believed that things happened for a reason and thus despite his confusion at first he would watch Roxas as he practiced. He noticed that birds would come to Roxas if he whistled, allowing him to feed them occasionally from the window. Axel couldn't guess the meaning of this ability, but he was glad to see Roxas so happy, laughing and smiling brightly at him with those dazzling blue eyes as the birds danced around his head and shoulders.

Axel began chopping vegetables while his thoughts continued to wander. Roxas seemed to be happier since they opened up to each other, and in this short month Axel felt as if he had known the boy all his life. Being near Roxas made him feel so happy; he especially loved the younger boy's laugh. It was bubbly and warm, and it always seemed to cheer him up no matter how bad he felt. They worked together, side by side, like brothers. Well, he had never had any brothers before, and neither had Roxas, but he thought that might be what brotherhood was supposed to feel like.

Staring absently out the window, Axel yelped as he realized he had cut his finger slightly while he wasn't paying attention. He watched the blood flow slowly from the cut on his finger before moving it to his mouth to suck on it. Axel felt a slight sadness in him then. Roxas's people were still suffering under Vexen's command, and he knew Roxas felt their pain and misery in his heart every day. They had to come up with a plan soon, that much he knew, but he was sad then because he knew that Roxas would have to leave. How would he cope without the kid around then? Just then a movement behind him caught his eye, and he turned to see Roxas standing in the hall. "Hey, Ax. What'd you do to your hand? I swear, sometimes you can be clumsier than me!" Roxas came over to him and before Axel could protest he pulled Axel's hand over in between his own two. "Cure." A brief glow emitted from his hands, and in an instant Axel's cut began to vanish.

Roxas smiled. He didn't know much about magic; his father had warned him that while magic can be used to help, it can also be used to hurt, and not all powers used in the name of goodness would work well or without consequences. But his father had taught him one spell to protect him in times of danger, and he treasured it.

Most magic was reserved for higher mages due to the intensity of training it; Demyx had expressed an interest in becoming a water mage but had neither the patience nor attention span to work from books and steps, the thought of which always made Roxas shudder. But even small spells could take their toll, and Roxas felt himself begin to sway as the spell ran its course and drained his energy. "Roxas, you don't need to......hey! Roxas!" Axel caught him as he slumped to the ground, feeling his forehead for any sign of a fever. Roxas opened his eyes and smiled at Axel weakly. Axel sighed, worry melting away slowly. "I wish you wouldn't do that; you almost gave me a heart attack, kid! I have bandages in the hall closet, you don't need to waste your energy like that." Roxas just smiled back at him, and Axel rolled his eyes before slinging Roxas's right arm over his shoulder and slowly walking towards his room.

This was not the first time Roxas pushed himself beyond his limit. The kid was too nice for his own good, and as Axel helped him down onto his bed he couldn't help but worry that someday Roxas was going to end up paying for it. "It's okay, Ax. I'm fine. Just gimme a few minutes ....to... just...."And just like, that, Roxas fell asleep, snoring peacefully.

Axel was frustrated with him, but he couldn't help but smile, stroking the boy softly on the head. Roxas smiled in his sleep, turning into Axel's soft, warm touch. _Well, I guess I can give him a few minutes. _With that, he walked back to the kitchen...


	10. Chapter 10: The Coldest Night

Vexen was angry. Not just annoyed, but seething with full-blown rage. He watched through the mirror as Roxas, the prince who was SUPPOSED to be dead and buried somewhere in the forest, moved about his business, completely alive and well. He didn't know who the spiky red-head he also saw was, but he knew that this man was obviously Roxas's new caretaker. But if Roxas's heart was still beating, than who or what-

Rushing over to the box he fidgeted with his key until he found the right lock and slipped it in. As he gazed at the heart inside, he realized. "The heart of a pig! Then I have been tricked!" Demyx would pay for this, oh yes, he was going to pay. But not before Roxas was dead, no.........he would kill Roxas and drop him at Demyx feet, then he would find suitable punishment to match his mental agony.

Vexen left his chamber, traveling to the far lower side of the castle. He passed the dungeons on his way there; through the darkness he could make at the poor souls he had imprisoned there. The people cried out for justice and freedom, but instead of deterring him they fanned the flame of his hatred. He cackled at them as he passed, before he finally reached his laboratory. Inside were several vials and glass tubes that connect in a strange maze of pipes and funnels. Ducking under some said pipes, he mad his way to the book shelf where he pulled a dark, deep blue leather book from his collection. Opening the inside cover he found the words written: Spells of the Cold, Volume One. Flipping through the pages and grabbing supplies absent-mindedly as he read, he knew this upcoming spell almost by heart. Walking towards the large cauldron that sat before him, he tossed in what he needed, until the surface changed to reveal his target. From one vial he drew a few strands of blond hair; he had taken care to get these from Roxas when he was a child, completely innocent then to the terrors of Vexen's magic power. But no more...

The surface melted away to reveal Roxas, sleeping soundly in a bed, the moonlight from the windows giving him an almost angelic glow. The red head was not in the room, but that didn't mean he wouldn't come if there was a problem. Vexen had no hair with which to curse him, so instead he tossed in several more odd-looking ingredients..........

* * *

Back at the cabin, Axel was washing the last of the dishes. Roxas had slept right through dinner that night, but Axel made sure to put away the leftovers so that Roxas could try some of the rabbit he had caught. It really was pretty good. he thought to himself. Suddenly, out through the kitchen window, he saw something strange. A dead tree near the cabin had caught on fire somehow; Axel was dumb-founded, after all it wasn't like the air was dry and hot recently! They had just had rain a couple of days ago! Not stopping to think more, Axel grabbed his bucket and whatever he could find before he rushed out the door to try and put out the fire. It was too close to the cabin, which was made of dryer wood, for his liking.

Roxas stirred slightly at the sound of the door slamming. He blinked hazily up and around the room. "Axel?........." He felt too tired to get up, but he was still wondering where Axel was. Suddenly a sharp pain hit his chest, and he brought his right hand over and clutched it madly as he screamed. It was cold and harsh, like nothing he had ever felt before! The window began to slowly frost over, ice spreading across the ceiling and down the walls at an alarming pace. Roxas fell back against his bed, the cold filling his lungs and the pain in his chest weakening him. He couldn't breathe, and his head was reeling. He tried to call out, but his voice was harsh and raspy, instead sending out soft whimpers he could barely hear himself over the growing ice. He raised his left hand towards the door as his vision began to fade. "Axel........._.help.............._."

* * *

Axel managed to put the fire out, and he crashed down onto the couch in the living room, sighing with relief. That fire had been something else, almost like it was started by magic. But why would someone set a tree on fire in the middle of nowhere? Pondering that thought, he noticed the room seemed colder somehow, despite the warm fire he made in the fireplace earlier. That didn't seem right; the flames before him still crackled loudly and brightly. He glanced around the room and then to the hall where his room was, and noticed Roxas's door glowing a strange shade of blue. _That can't be good......._

Axel pushed off from the couch and ran to the door. As he grabbed the handle he jumped back, hissing as the cold pained him. He banged his fists on the door. "Roxas! Are you okay?! Answer me, kid!" He heard a faint reply, but he couldn't make out what it was. _That's definitely not good! _"Roxas, can you open the door?! Come on, buddy, stay with me!" No reply came this time, and Axel immediately jumped into action. He began ramming the door with his shoulder until it finally felt like the ice was weakening. Before it could take hold of the door again, Axel raised his left foot and kicked the door as hard as he could. The door fell in with a loud crash, revealing a dark, icy room shrouded in a strange mist. Just stepping inside the room made breathing hard and painful, so Axel pulled the collar of his shirt up over his mouth and nose before he burst in. The mirror and window were completely covered in a thick sheet of ice, but Axel quickly turned to see the figure huddled on the bed. Roxas was lying on the bed, his left arm hanging limply off the side of the bed facing Axel. The boy's face was pained and still, and he wasn't breathing. "Roxas!"

Axel easily lifted Roxas in his arms and carried him out of the room. The ice seemed to stop growing at the doorway; he just hoped that the whole house wasn't in danger of freezing over. He tossed some cushions from the couch to the floor with one hand, and he set Roxas down on them so he was closer by the fire. He piled blanket after blanket on him, before sitting down beside him to place his head on Roxas's chest. He couldn't hear the heartbeat, and when he grabbed the boy's wrist he couldn't detect a steady pulse either.

Frantic now, Axel shook Roxas as lightly as he could, given the circumstances. "Come on, Rox! Stay with me, kid! You can't leave, do you hear me?! You can't!" He saw the blue lips move slightly and caught the faint sound of his voice, Axel's eyes widened at the flickering hope. ".......Ax......el....?" It was quiet and breathless.

Remembering the technique his mother had taught him, Axel leaned over Roxas and quickly began administering CPR. He worked steadily, cycling through chest compressions before tilting Roxas's chin back to provide rescue breathes. A slight blush came to his face as he thought about what he was doing, but he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing solely on saving his dying friend. _Come on, come on! Breathe, Roxas!_ After a few moments, he put his ear down to listen for a heartbeat. Suddenly Roxas's blue eyes snapped open and he coughed and heaved as he tried to catch his breath. Axel could barely contain his joy at seeing his friend breathe again, as he finally felt able to breathe himself. He helped Roxas to sit up and patted his back as he watched him.. This had been close, way too close, and there was something strange about the whole thing. Where had the ice come from, and why? It just didn't seem right....

Once Roxas had stopped coughing, Axel pulled him close until his head rested gently on Axel's chest. "Don't scare me like that again, you got that?! Jeez, Rox!" Roxas looked up at him weakly, shivering as he muttered a soft apology. He was soon asleep again, the near-death experience having worn him out completely.

It would take a while for him to warm up, but at least he was breathing again. Axel scooped him up and carried him back to his room; although the ice in Roxas's room seemed to be melting unnaturally quickly, he wouldn't take any more chances tonight until he figured out what was going on. He placed Roxas in his bed, piling more blankets around him. He snagged the medicine from the drawer, in case Roxas needed it again. He placed it by his bedside table, moving back a little to watch the unconscious boy in front of him. It broke his heart to see him so small and fragile like this. Raising a hand to his own face, Axel felt the tears slip from his eyes and he hurriedly wiped them away. He hadn't seriously cried since his mother's death, and the thought scared him. Was he falling in love again, despite his promise? He loved Roxas, but he had thought it was more like the love of a brother or that of a best friend. But what he felt for Roxas seemed to be something more.

His fingers gently brushed his lips, blushing a little as he remembered what he had done to revive Roxas. The boy's lips were so soft, and they tasted so sweet. Despite himself, he smirked. _Maybe sometime, if I'm feeling bold, I'll try again. _He wasn't sure how Roxas would react to that, and it made him feel a little nervous thinking about it.

He made his way over to the bed and laid down beside Roxas, offering some of his body heat to warm him up. He felt too tired and stressed to think too much more about it all, so he contented himself to fall asleep beside his friend.

Vexen slammed his fist on the table, shattering a glass vial and spilling its contents all over his hand. _Damn that brat! I promise you that you won't be so lucky next time! _How had the red head broken the spell? How did the brat manage to survive it all? He slammed the book back onto the bookcase and stomped from the room, retiring for the night. He swore to be back the next morning, with something even nastier and more painful than those two hapless idiots could possibly imagine!

Don't worry, AxelxRoxas fans! They'll get together soon! But if you're looking for something like hardcore yaoi, I don't so that stuff. sorry.......... Disney ain't rated R and neither is my stuff. Cept for occasional language and adult jokes, but Disney does that sometimes too :)


	11. Chapter 11: The Wild Beast

The next morning, Roxas opened his eyes to find himself in Axel's room. The sun had not risen yet, and Axel had drawn the curtains so that the two of them could sleep as long as they liked. Roxas frowned. If Axel was late for work, he just knew Xaldin was going to let him have it. He started to sit up when he felt an arm over his chest, strong enough to push him back down. He glanced over to see Axel sleeping next to him, but he was surprised when he looked at Axel's face. Dried tears were present under his eyes, completely covering the drop tattoos beneath them. Axel was clinging to him for dear life, and Roxas smiled at him sadly as he vaguely remembered the events of the previous night. In their short time together, Axel had become an important person to him, partially filling the void left by his father's death. He was like family to him, and Roxas knew he would do anything for Axel. He didn't understand what was going on, but he didn't want to hurt Axel like this again. As he laid back to sleep, he promised to get stronger in the future, for both their sakes.......

For the next couple of days, Axel refused to leave him alone for too long, no matter how much Roxas assured him that he'd be alright. Roxas continually pouted; no matter how stubborn he was, Axel never seemed to lose an argument. He was confined to bed rest, with Axel bringing him food when he needed it. He tried to argue that Axel's job was more important, but the stubborn red-head wouldn't hear it. Roxas sighed. _Looks like this is going to be a long week.........._

* * *

Vexen held off on sending any more curses for a while, as his attention was needed elsewhere. Reports were coming in from all over that the villages had been attacked by some sort of monster. The latest report came from Hollow Bastion; the beast had attacked at night, killing 7 people and causing extensive damage to several businesses as well as the village's outer wall. Vexen sent Zack out on patrol with a handful or soldiers, who did not return until the following night. Zack came back along, bearing hideous injuries along his legs and chest that resembled the work of acid. He was rushed to intensive care, where he lay unconscious for the next several days. Vexen visited him once, ordering all others out of the room. He took samples of the acidic substance on Zack's wounds and even managed to find traces of the beast's hair. He had an idea, his vicious smile returning.

Down in the laboratory, he worked tirelessly for hours studying the hair and acid, tossing some into the cauldron as he worked. From what the mixture revealed, the creature was almost ten feet tall, a shadowy figure with short shaggy fur covering its body. Its claws secreted the acid like substance he had found earlier, which he found to be extremely poisonous. Zack was lucky to be alive, that much he knew. The creature also had an impressive set of teeth, and the strength of half a dozen oxen in his arms. Vexen smiled. Good.

He pulled a book from the shelf again, this time one with a red cover entitled: Spells of the Wild, Volume 2. He browsed the chapters until he came upon an interesting spell, and he decided to test it out. _This one will get them for sure. _Grabbing a vile of red and black liquid from his cluttered workspace, Vexen added it to the mix, watching as the beast cried out in pain and anger as red and black ooze began covering his body, threatening to overshadow him............

* * *

One morning, Roxas woke up early and decided he needed some fresh air. Finally back in his own room, he quietly rose from the bed and dressed in his favorite black and grey tunic, before making his way down the hall. He could hear Axel's snores from his room. Good. Axel had been working hard this week, finally agreeing to go back to work. Xaldin _did_ beat him for his long absence, and although Roxas was worried Axel assured him he was fine. He knew the red head was tough, but he still felt awful about causing him trouble like that.

One day, Axel came home with a large package on his back, and as Roxas watched he opened it to reveal a sword, made of hard ore forged into elegant cold steel. Axel told him he had traded it from a friend of his and that Roxas should keep it with him when he was alone, since the two of them had no idea what they were facing. Axel added that he couldn't always been around to protect him. Maybe Vexen figured out that Roxas was alive, that seemed the most likely possibility. But they were in no condition to move now, and Axel told him the sword was just for his safety and Axel's own peace of mind. Roxas had agreed, though he felt a bit silly with the sword strapped to his back. He barely had any experience with swords, and that had been long ago. But this morning he donned it faithfully before opening the door and stepping out into a familiar, glowing sunrise.

He walked through the woods for a while, taking in the scenery as he walked, until he came to a large rocky cliff that blocked his way. This area of the forest was littered with boulders, several of which sat at the bottom of the cliff. Roxas didn't like this part of the forest as much because nothing much seemed to grow here. The flowers and trees in the forest reminded him of Olette and his friends, and of home, but here things seemed dead. Utterly lifeless and boring. The trees here were dead and rotting, the bushes thorn-covered and uninviting. Roxas sat down on one of the smoother boulders near the base of the cliff to take a break, gazing back the way he had come and away from the dark, foreboding scene of the cliff behind him.

A sudden rustling from the bushes jarred him out of his thoughts. Gazing around, he couldn't see anything unusual. It was probably just a squirrel or something. But then again, what lived around _here _anyway? But then something did catch his eye. He turned to look at one of the boulders closer to him, one which seemed much larger and darker than the others. It had a strange shade of red and black to it, almost like it glowed with liquid-hot magma. Something yellow appeared on the boulder, as if it was staring right back at him-

That didn't seem right; as far as he knew, inanimate objects couldn't stare at you. But a sudden growl coming from the "boulder" seemed to say otherwise.......


	12. Chapter 12: Gambles and Fate

If you can't tell, I'm not a big fan of hiatuses. Just pray my speedy updates don't kill my story :)

Roxas dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow from the creature's claws. As the large beast slowly pulled his claws from the unfortunate boulder Roxas was sitting on minutes before, melting and hissing at the touch of his claws, Roxas took a chance and turned to run. The beast was slow, but took exceptionally long strides. It didn't seem like any normal animal to him; the glow of its eyes and coat emitted a strange glow that was anything but natural. Realizing he would need a better position soon, Roxas made a quick left and ran through a maze of trees and bushes, the monster practically at his heels. _Crap! What am I supposed to do?! If I lose sight of the path I can't get back home! _He turned again, trying to shake the monster off, only to find himself approaching the side of the cliff once more. As he ran he tried to pull the sword on his back from it's sheath, not looking where he was going when a stray root caught his foot, sending him over.

He looked up at the monster approaching, having finally freed the stupid sword, only to find now that he couldn't get up. He yelped in pain and sank back to the ground, turning quickly to see the creature approaching quickly. Had he twisted his ankle? He couldn't believe this! _I can't do anything right! God, I feel like such a girl! _Unsure of what else he could do, he brought the sword up to defend himself, backing up into the offending tree as the beast bore down on him. It raised a claw and swatted the sword away effortlessly. Roxas didn't get to see where the sword landed as the beast pinned him down, claws burning into his flesh as he struggled to get free. He cried out as the pain increased, but the beast roared back, anger and hatred in its eyes. Another claw was raised, and Roxas shut his eyes tightly, afraid that this was the end. _Axel.....I'm sorry......_

The beast leapt off of him as it gave a cry of pain. It was loud and fierce, and Roxas snapped his eyes open at the sound. As if God had answered his prayers, Axel was there. He had an arm around the beast's neck, dangling down its back with Roxas's sword plunged into its back.

The beast thrashed and began clawing at whatever of Axel he could grab. Axel cried out as the beast occasionally found his arms or back, but he didn't let up. At least the thing wasn't slamming him into trees trying to get him off. He regretted the thought immediately, as the beast started trying just that, as if he tipped him off with his thoughts. He glanced at Roxas, who was lying on the ground but seemed to be mostly unhurt. "Roxas, get the hell out of here!" The blond tried to stand but fell back down each time he tried, his eyes tearing up at the strain. "Axel, I can't!" Axel grunted in frustration before he was then flung from the beast's back, the sword landing a foot away from him. Everything hurt, but as he opened his eyes he saw the beast return his attention back to Roxas, who was pulling himself along the forest floor in search of cover but not getting anywhere fast. It turned and made its way slowly over to Roxas, whose blue eyes widened in terror as it approached. _No! _Axel felt tiredness consume him, as if something from his wounds was slowly weakening him, but with all his strength and purpose he heaved himself up and grabbed the sword.

As the beast got closer to Roxas, he could feel his heart race faster and faster. He eyed a stick laying close by and grabbed it, swinging at the beast's heels in a futile attempt to stop him. But that only served to infuriate it more. The beast curled his claws into a fist, earning Roxas a punch that sent him flying back several feet before crashing to the floor beneath the cliff. His felt vision was fading, but he saw that before the beast could approach him again, Axel had jumped back into action, stabbing at the creature's hard coat with his sword whenever and wherever he could, breaking through flesh as it went. The beast howled in pain, the harsh lullaby to which Roxas unwillingly passed into unconsciousness.

* * *

Through the warm, floating feeling of sleep, Roxas continued to fight. He swam as hard as he could, back to the surface where he just knew Axel was still in trouble. Hours seem to pass as he struggled, the tide threatening to overwhelm him if his resolve weakened. Finally, the light became closer, and Roxas willingly embraced it as he broke the surface...........His eyes snapped open. Axel!

The sky had become overcast, for however long he'd been out. The forest was quiet about him, making him feel terribly uneasy. Groaning at his aches and pains, he sat up and looked around. _Where are Axel and that strange beast? _It was too quiet, the world around him seemingly devoid of all life. With a glance to his right he finally saw the best, unmoving and lying in a pool of its own blood. But where was Axel? A groan from nearby caught his attention, and he saw that near one of the dead bushes, closer to him than the beast was, lay Axel. "Axel!" Roxas tried to stand up too quickly, and as the blood rushed to his head he remembered that he'd twisted his ankle. He cringed in pain as he sat back down again. He looked around for a minute before he caught sight of a long, sturdy brach lying a foot away, no doubt knocked down by the beast in a fit of rage. He slowly but purposefully crawled towards it, and when he reached it he used it to help push himself up. He used it as a walking stick as he made his way over to Axel.

When he reached the semi-conscious red-head, Roxas dropped the stick and rushed to Axel's side, shaking him as gently as he could in his state of panic. "Axel! Oh God, I'm so sorry! I feel so stupid! I don't know where that thing came from, but I-" Axel looked up at him through pained eyes, but he smiled. "I'm glad you're okay, Rox. I was afraid I'd lost you back there." With that, he closed his hazy green eyes and lost consciousness.

"Axel? Axel!" The red head appeared to be sleeping, but he was deathly pale and clearly in pain from where the creature had attacked him. _This is all my fault! If I just listened to him earlier maybe- _No. Despite the horrible guilt and panic he felt, he knew now was not the time. He got unsteadily to his feet with help from the walking stick, and after some long, hard effort he managed to sling Axel's arm around his shoulder. The older boy was larger than him, reminding him how short he was, and so it was hard to move comfortably. He tried to walk forward a few paces, but the weight was too much, almost sending them both falling back onto the ground. He managed to keep them both upright with what strength he could muster, but he was quickly losing heart in this seemingly hopeless situation. Despite his attempts to be brave and take charge, Roxas couldn't hold back his tears nor hide the panic and despair in his voice. "Somebody help!.......Please.....Is anyone out there?!"

"How might I be of service, young man?" Roxas started slightly, turning around to see an older man with hair so blond it almost looked white. Where had this man come from? Moving that thought aside for later, he glanced over the man for any sign of a threat. He was wearing a green cloak over what looked like a miner's uniform, but he didn't appear to be armed. That didn't mean he couldn't easily overpower the younger boy, however, and as Roxas came back to stare at his face he found the man's blue eyes staring intently back into his own. "Please, we were attacked by a strange beast, and Axel tried to stop it but he...he......" Roxas choked on the last words, lowering his eyes in shame and despair. The man glanced to the red head leaning against him, his voice sounding calm and almost bored. "Always the trouble-maker I see, Axel. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Roxas's eyes widened, his head back up. "Y-you know Axel? Then, c-can you-"

The man sighed, but nodded. He hated being late to work; everyone knew that Xaldin could be a total bastard when he got pissy. Looking back at the boy he asked, "Do you live far from here?" The boy nodded. "It's a ways in that direction, but-" Before Roxas could finish, the man walked over to him and pulled Axel gently onto his back. The boy didn't protest, he merely adjusted his makeshift walking stick, preparing to walk with them back to Axel's cabin. They walked back, slowly and clumsily, as Roxas fell a few times. But, although he seemed a bit grumpy, the older man was patient and helped him to his feet each time. Roxas looked up at him, his voice as calm and pleasant as he could make it, though it barely masked the concern and pain apparent in his face. "Sorry, I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Roxas, a friend of Axel's. What's your name?"

The man smiled back at him. "It's Luxord."


	13. Chapter 13: Fine Lines of Hate and Love

Lucky chapter 13. Time for some villain backstory! Exposition sandwich! :)

Vexen was born in a small kingdom far to the west of Cloud Strife's kingdom, in a land ruled by a man with sliver hair and fiery eyes. His mother and father were nobles who were closely associated with the king, and his birth was to be greatly celebrated. However, his mother had unknowingly conceived twins, which was a bad sign in the kingdom's lore, so the birth was met with mixed responses. The bad omen proved true several years later, when a great fire mysteriously grew and eventually consumed the castle. Vexen was slightly scared in the fire, making his face look older and longer while his brother Even remained young and handsome. As they grew, Even was the favored twin, while Vexen grew bitter and jealous in his brother's shadow.

Soon King Sephiroth decided to wage war with Strife's kingdom. Their armies returned bloody and battered from most battles, though when they won the soldiers would raid and destroy any villages they could find, sparing no one they passed. It was during this time of unrest and confusion that Vexen murdered his brother.

Delving into books on black magic and science, Vexen studied and perfected his skills alone in his room. Occasionally he would go on a journey with permission from the king, but he never revealed what he found to anyone but the king, working as a shadowy agent to fulfill his king's wishes. On one of his travels, he had met a powerful sorcerer by the name of Xemnas, who was the one who gave him the enchanted mirror and shield, telling him that he was destined for greatness and power, if he didn't ignore the opportunity. He learned much of his greater spells from this man, and when he returned he looked older and more bitter than before.

Even had an unfortunate knack for getting into trouble, always letting his curiosity get the better of him. One day he spied on Vexen's research, and shortly found himself exposed. Vexen killed him slowly, all of his jealousy and hatred working in the malice of his spells and torture. Unfortunately for him, he had killed his favored brother, and the king punished him severely before sending him away into exile. Vexen was a coward by nature, not usually happy to sully his own hands, so he left without a word, unwilling to dig his own grave. Shortly after he disappeared, Cloud, the newly crowned ruler of Strife's kingdom, attacked the castle and toppled Sephiroth's rule. Some say that the king escaped into exile, others say he used magic to become a part of Cloud, to forever torment him in the darkness of his heart. No one knew for sure, but kingdom then fell into chaos, its power and prestige crumbling and its people leaving to seek refuge in new lands.

Vexen's time in the wild made him stronger. He was fueled by anger and revenge. Sephiroth's power may have all but disappeared, but he would not be deterred in his quest for power, and he directed his attention to the young ruler of Strife's kingdom, Cloud. He then formulated a plan: to get in a position of high favor with the king, and later poison him when the time was right and take control of his kingdom. After years of wandering, he finally arrived at the castle, his kind advice and friendly smile all part of his sweet facade.........

Cloud was strong and noble, but his youth and kindness made him weak and somewhat arrogant, a fact that Vexen exploited at every chance. He learned about the legend of the kingdom's key, the blade which glistened in the courtyard like Excalibur in tales of old. That would be his ticket to power, and he used his position as a leading scientific authority to study it and record its mysteries. It burned his hand when he first tried to touch it, a fact that he hid well from Cloud, but no one else. The people saw that he was unfit to lead, but still they obeyed the words of their beloved king and showed Vexen proper respect, even if they utterly loathed him. He sensed this, but cast the thought aside as trivial; even it the servants distrusted him, any who got in his way could be quickly and easily disposed of. The one who was really in his was was the king's only son, Roxas........

Roxas.......

Vexen stirred from his slumber. He had used too much energy in casting his last spell, and so he had fallen asleep at his desk on the far side of the lab. _This is no time to dream of the past. A glorious future awaits me, if I can seize the opportunity. _He smiled at the familiar words. He didn't know what happened to the old sorcerer he met those many years ago, but he owed him thanks for the strength and wisdom he had given him.

He was furious, though unsurprised, as he stared into the cauldron and saw that Roxas was still alive. The boy was like a cockroach! He just wouldn't stay dead! Fuming, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He pulled out another book from his collection, this one with a coal-black cover entitled: Spells of the Dark, Volume 3. He rekindled the fire beneath the cauldron, and set to work at this spell, which would prove to be the most sinister of all. He smiled as the images in the cauldron began to dance and distort. From his coat pocket he drew out a ripe, shiny red apple. That brat Roxas was as good as dead........

* * *

Roxas stood at the door, waving good bye to older man as he departed for the mine. Luxord was a pretty nice guy, though Axel didn't seem to feel the same way.

Once the three of them had gotten back to the cabin, it was after noon. Luxord set to work fixing up Axel's wounds. Roxas watched from the sides, feeling nervous and guilty. He would use his healing spell, if that became necessary, but he didn't want to risk losing so much energy because he was scared that when he woke up Axel wouldn't be there to greet him. The thought tormented him, but he watched silently, offering to bring supplies to Luxord when he needed them. He still moved slowly and painfully around with the stick he had found, but he did his best. Axel woke up once or twice while he was being treated, and he wasn't happy to see Luxord in his house. But whatever Axel said, Luxord worked diligently.

Luxord asked Roxas questions to help take his mind of things, and he told him about how Axel had saved his life a few times before and how happy he was to live here with him. He left out a few details about him being a prince and running away from home, of course. At one point he managed to use the cure spell to help Axel heal faster, costing him a bit of energy but he was able to stay awake and watch. Luxord told him Axel was lucky to be alive, and that a few days bed rest would do them both some good. The man offered to treat him too, for although Roxas had taken care of his leg pretty throughly by himself, he had a few other bruises and burn marks from where the creature had touched him. Roxas declined though, assuring the old man that he would be fine as long as Axel would be okay. Unable to do anything further, he placed a hand on Roxas's shoulder as he rose to leave. "He's lucky to have a friend like you, Roxas. I can see fate has something interesting in store for you both." Axel grunted in his sleep, making Roxas smile. "I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?"

Roxas closed the door and locked it behind him. Making his way slowly back to Axel's room, he managed to pull up a chair and then sat down beside him. He leaned forward to look at Axel's face, laying his arms on the edge of the bed and his head resting on his hands. The room was dark, as Axel had left quickly to follow him that morning, and Roxas made no move to open the curtains. He sighed. He still felt bad that he almost got Axel killed; he almost lost the most important person he had in the world. Tears rolled down his eyes, which he quickly moved to wipe away. He then saw two green orbs gazing back at him tenderly, and he realized Axel was awake.

Roxas lowered his eyes, too guilty to meet his gaze. "Axel. I'm so sorry. I didn't think, I-" He yelped in surprise when a hand suddenly grabbed at his wrist and he was pulled from his chair into Axel's arms, as if he was light as a feather. He looked up into Axel's emerald eyes, confused. ".......Axel? What's-" Roxas didn't get to finish as he suddenly felt Axel's lips pressed against his, meeting in a chaste but passionate kiss. The shock soon faded from his face and he closed his tearing eyes, embracing Axel and tasting his soft, pink lips that melted so sweetly against his own. Time itself seemed to stop as the two shared in the wonder and silence of the kiss, nothing else in the world mattered but the person they each held so desperately. After the long silence their lips parted, Roxas moved his head to rest on Axel's chest, panting and crying softly as Axel gently stroked his head. Roxas smiled through his tears and sighed as Axel ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it slightly. It felt nice.

"It's okay, Rox. You don't have to worry about it, okay? We're both fine now, aren't we? Just promise to be more careful from now on, okay?" Axel's words comforted him, and he smiled, burying his face into Axel's chest. Time began to move again, and the two of them stayed like that in silence for a long while.............

"i love you." Roxas looked up, gasping slightly as he stared into Axel's eyes, the brilliant green meeting his bright blue eyes with a look that was both gentle and completely serious. He was afraid he had heard wrong.

"What did you say?" He wanted to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that what Axel had said was true. "I said, I love you, Roxas. I didn't think it was possible at first..... but no matter how I rationalized my feelings, the answer was always the same. You're my everything, Roxas."

More tears came to Roxas's eyes as he took in Axel's words, but he stopped trying to blink them back and just simply let them flow. He summoned his courage, and smiled back. "I think.... I love you too, Axel. You're the most important person in the world to me...This is all so much to take in...but, what about-" Axel placed a finger to his lips, stopping him, and stared lovingly into those bright blue eyes, so blue that their beauty rivaled the ocean and sky combined. "You talk too much, you know that?" And again, Roxas was silenced as Axel's warm lips crushed against his own, the red-head's hands gently stroking his face and neck as he held him. Roxas felt his face heating up rapidly, but he didn't care anymore. He leaned in further to Axel's touch, sighing as the passionate kiss overwhelmed him. "Axel." They stayed in the room for the rest of the day, each comforted in the arms of his love. _Well, there goes my first kiss_. At least, that's what he thought......

Phew, that was a long chapter! Hope it wasn't too corny, but this is based on a fairy-tale after all. Make of this scene whatever you will. :) Speaking of corny, here comes the poisoned apple bit soon!..........P.S. Cloud and Sephiroth fangirls, please don't kill me! :)


	14. Chapter 14: Hope for the Future

The Following Week:

"Demyx, slow down! Where are we going?" The tall blond boy ignored Olette, dragging her through the barnyard and then behind the stables. Pence stood there waiting for them, leaning against the stable side and staring down at the bushes. When he heard them approach, he looked up and smiled. Demyx glanced around quickly to make sure no one had followed them, then nodded to Pence, who pushed through the side of one of the bushes, revealing a small wooden hatch that almost blended with the ground. Pulling it open, he motioned for Olette to hurry inside. When she shot him a questioning look, he smiled back. "You're gonna love this, I promise. Now come on! We can't be seen goofing off; this is our little secret." He winked at the last word and continued to motion with his hands. Olette sighed, before smiling and lowering herself quickly into the hole beneath the hatch. Demyx simply jumped in, his eyes wide in excitement. Pence quickly closed the hatch and moved back to his kitchen duty. There was a window in the kitchen through which he would subtly watch for anyone who might suspect their plans.

When Demyx appeared shortly after her and the light from the ceiling disappeared, Olette gasped at the sudden darkness. Demyx tapped her on the shoulder, pointing through the darkness at something. When he eyes adjusted, she noticed a set of steps leading deeper into the ground, a small wooden handrail snaking the wall to help lead the way. As the descended the steps together, Demyx skipped ahead with no fear of falling down the dark, slightly damp steps. "Demyx, be careful! You're going to-" Demyx brought a finger to his lips, although she could barely see it. "Shhhh. We're almost there. We don't want to interrupt the meeting." Olette frowned. What were they, five years old? Looking for secret passages, having secret hideouts. She hadn't done this stuff since they were kids, back when they had more free time, and she and Demyx and Roxas would........

Roxas.........She thought of him sadly. She didn't want to believe he was really gone, but a month had gone by, and no word had reached them. It may be that that news was too dangerous to bring to the castle, she knew........but the whole kingdom talked about him like he was dead, and that was starting to get to her. She lowered her head as she walked, lost in thought, until after a few minutes when she could swear she heard voices and saw a small light in the passage ahead. Demyx grinned at her and took her hand, dragging her with him yet again. Before she had time to protest, a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Demyx! Olette! I'm glad you two are here!" Olette was surprised, but happy to see Zack standing in front of her. The captain of the guard looked much better since his recent run-in with the mysterious beast, his wounds almost fully recovered. "I was getting ready to spread the message to everyone. Think they'll like it?" Demyx nodded, beaming with child-like delight. Olette was confused, but Zack pulled them aside into what was one of the strangest rooms she had ever been in. The walls were dirt and limestone brick, the ceiling of a similar material reinforced with strong wooden beams, and the room was large enough to fit a small village. The room broke into passageways spread around the walls, leading her to believe that there were multiple entrances. Demyx quickly explained that this bunker had been built a long time ago, to protect as many people as possible from mercilessness of war. Many people were here, all of them leaders or representatives from the villages throughout the kingdom. The air was warm and damp, and conversations drifted through the air about them, stopping suddenly when Zack climbed onto a small platform near the front of the room.

Demyx watched with anticipation as Zack began his speech. " Welcome, friends! It is an honor having all of you here today! As you are aware, we are gathered here now to discuss what must be done about Lord Vexen and the harsh laws he has imposed upon our people. As you know, taxation has increased dramatically in the past seven years. Many have been punished or imprisoned under Vexen's harsh rule, and too many have already given up hope that there is something we can do..."

"And what _are _we to do, _Captain_?" Zack turned to face a woman with blond hair and harsh eyes. "Have you something to say, good sister?" She stepped forward. "Why yes, I do, _Captain_. My name is Larxene; I am the resident butcher of Traverse Town." An occupation that seemed to surprise no one, given her personality. "I have helped run the village for a long time, and I see the injustices you speak of. You _say_ that there is something we can do, but look around you! These people are no soldiers! They have not seen the cruel fields of battle as you and I have; how could we possibly prepare them to face that old bastard's dark magic? And what hope do we have anyway?! Without a legitimate heir to rule when Vexen is gone, the kingdom will fall into total chaos!" Several voices at once argued around them, some vying with Larxene while others argued for hope. "Yes, what can we possibly do?" "Without a ruler chosen by the Keyblade to take Vexen's place, there will surely be wars for the throne following after!" "But we have to do something! We're already in chaos here!" "Oh, and I suppose _you_ know a suitable person for the job?" "Quiet, let the Captain speak!" .......Zack pounded his fist on the platform, returning the peoples' attention to him and slowly the room was once again silent.

"I hear your concerns, everyone. The woman is right: such violence without a plan of action will only bring further pain and sorrow to the people. That is why I gathered you here today. There is good news that I believe you all should hear, and once empowered by that knowledge, luck is sure to favor us in this fight!" The people continued to mutter and whisper among themselves, as Zack called a man from the side of the room to join him on the platform and speak. The man wasn't very old, but he had hair so light blond that anyone would swear it was white. He moved over to Zack as he spoke. "This man is Luxord, a miner from the northern forest." More hushed whispering followed as the crowd watched the strange man before them. Anyone who had the nerves to live in that god-forsaken forest must be brave indeed, but why was he here? Olette looked curiously over at Demyx, who grinned widely before turning his attention back to the platform. Zack cleared his throat. "He arrived here, not three days ago, with an important message to deliver to the guard. He claims to have seen the Prince. Roxas is alive."

The voices were no longer hushed as the crowd gasped together and began to argue again. "Prince Roxas? He's alive?" "That can't be! Vexen told us he was dead!" "We never did see a body." "But where is he now?" "Is this really true?" Olette's eyes widened; she almost couldn't believe her ears. It was confirmed, Roxas was alive! Zack waved his hand toward Luxord, who stepped forward and deeply bowed, a calm smile on his face. "Yes, good people, what I say is true. I saw the Prince myself, several days ago in the forest. He is under the care of a good friend of mine, so do not worry. He is perfectly safe." Before there was time for anyone to rejoice, Larxene moved to speak again. "But how can that be? If the Prince is indeed alive, then why is he not here among us now? And how could he leave in the first place? Surely he knew the responsibilities that becoming king would impose upon him, but even then he stayed up in his safe little tower, never coming out to see what the kingdom became! Why would he leave us now, at a time when we needed him most?" The bitterness in her voice was stronger now, and several people began to ask as well until Demyx stepped up onto the platform, the smile had vanished without a trace.

"Because he was almost killed, that's why!" Everyone turned to look at Demyx; few people here knew the servant boy personally, but those who did know him were shocked at the look of sadness and anger on his face. It was almost identical to the expression he had that day, when his best friend had stared up into his blue eyes, fear and confusion ablaze in his own. Watching her friend, he smile quickly disappearing as well, Olette sighed. _Poor Demyx. He still can't forgive himself for what he almost did that day._

_"_And who are you, kid? What right do _you _have to speak on this matter?" Larxene was a fierce instigator, but Demyx bit back._" _I'm a good friend of his, ya old hag, so back off." Turning to the rest of the crowd, ignoring the angry shriek of "_Hag?! " _from Larxene, Demyx spoke softer this time. "What is wrong with you people? Don't you remember Roxas at all? He's a good kid; Vexen was the one who never let him go outside and just made him work hard most of the time! Roxas never showed how sad that made him, to anyone but us, because he was afraid that _you _would lose faith if he did!" Many people looked down at their feet, no doubt feeling guilty for having such thoughts about their prince. "Vexen wanted him out of the way, so he sent us out on some dumb errand and told me to kill him, or he would make sure I'd regret it. But even then I couldn't do it, so I told him to run away somewhere and hide! Don't you see? He hasn't abandoned us! He left to protect our kingdom's greatest hope!"

The people seemed to take his words to heart, pondering them silently for several minutes. Soon they began to argue once again, this time with some in favor of retrieving Prince Roxas for the sake of proof and comfort, while others demanded that the most important thing to do now was to take down Vexen. Zack stood tall and stared them down, as they fell silent once again. The Captain was a wise man, who had served loyally in the military for many years, and for this people far and wide had heard of him. He had been a good friend of King Cloud's growing up, later serving as his commander during the Angel Wars against King Sephiroth, earning him the trust and respect of the people. The people now waited eagerly to hear his plan of action, watching the old Captain stand tall and straight, as if still poised for battle at any moment. "Demyx is right. From what we now know, it would be dangerous to bring the Prince back at this time, as we haven't yet determined how many agents Vexen has in his service. The Prince will be safer to remain where he is for the time being; right now it is our time to take action! My plan is this: I will gather what men I can find, and we will monitor Vexen's behavior and main associates; where he goes, who supports him, etc. We have a few months before it is time to choose a more permanent ruler, so we shouldn't rush blindly into one of his schemes. When we know enough about his position, I will send a Chocobo messenger with a special signal to the leader of the nearest village. You will all be on standby, so that when the signal comes to you, you can pass the message on to the next village and prepare to march with as many people as you can gather to the castle. Then , having massed our forces, we surround the castle and seize Vexen and his men before they can mount a counter-strike. Once we have him in custody, then victory will be ours!"

The people nodded amongst themselves. With quickness and subtlety, this plan could very well work. Demyx raised a few cheers among them, which were quickly taken up by more and more people. Oletter smiled. Roxas _was_ the kingdom's hope, and now by some divine blessing everyone knew that hope was still alive.

"Pardon me, Captain, but I important news!" Zack looked to the man who had just appeared beside him, recognizing him as one of his younger scouts, who he had keep watch around the castle to report anything suspicious. The crowd around him dispersed, moving to the safest possible exit, until the room was virtually empty with the exception of a few scouts, Demyx, Olette, and himself. "What is it, Tidus?" "Sorry, sir. But we've been watching the castle for two days now, and I thought you might want to know..........we haven't found a trace of Vexen; we didn't find him in his chambers or see him when any meals were served. He's just, gone............"


	15. Chapter 15: Trouble Knocking

Roxas was by himself back at the cabin, dressed in pajamas blue enough to match his eyes, stretched out across the couch with a book in his hand. It was an interesting book; Axel had given it to him a few days ago, telling him it was a thriller-mystery story about murder in a small, superstitious village. Axel said he'd picked it up from a interesting trader he had met some time ago, and he thought Roxas might like it. Roxas was a big fan of suspense and horror novels, so he delved right in, and had hardly put it down since.

Roxas sighed. Since the day they had confessed their affection for each other, things moved slowly but surely. At times it was a little awkward, since they had no idea of what "being in love" was supposed to entail; Roxas _had_ had a few crushes when he was little, but that didn't count for much, and Axel lived in the woods most of his life. Besides, they might have a much bigger concern to focus on for now. Axel seemed to think that Vexen was behind the recent attacks, putting more urgency on them to form a plan to get Roxas back home. There were only so many months left, after all. Roxas, however, had argued with him quite a bit after that; he didn't want to be too hasty and end up causing trouble for the people. If he ended up hiding with someone in the villages, he'd just be putting both their lives at risk. He also didn't want to leave Axel just yet, not after what they had been through. But they spoke little after that, each persisting in his own stubbornness.

This morning had started like any other; Axel had served them both breakfast and Roxas had cleaned up while Axel prepared to head out for work. Although Axel's wounds from the beast incident had mostly healed, Roxas was still stumbling a bit on his feet. A couple of falls during the week had slowed the process of healing his ankle, and Axel firmly insisted he keep to doing easy chores and reading for the rest of the week. Roxas had pouted after this morning's lecture. He was getting around just fine! He didn't even need his makeshift walking stick anymore! He grudgingly agreed, though, and sat down on the couch to read. A few birds chirped near the open window, and Roxas whistled a greeting to them, smiling brightly before delving back into his book to search for the last page he had read.

Before Axel left, he came over to Roxas to, no doubt, lecture him more about staying safe and avoiding strangers. Though, with all that had happened, Roxas supposed he couldn't blame him. Heart softening at this thought, Roxas prepared himself to take whatever Axel had to tell him, only to be surprised when Axel leaned down to kiss him instead. Roxas leaned in, returning the kiss and softly moaning, until a short time after when Axel pulled back and stood up, leaving Roxas slightly disappointed. Axel smiled. "I'm not going to talk your ear off today, Rox. Just do what I told ya, and everything should be fine. Got it memorized?" Roxas smiled back. "Don't you ever get tired of that line? Yeah, yeah, I got it, mom. Just get going before Xaldin throws a fit again." Axel raised his eyebrows and chuckled, leaning in again for another brief kiss before he left for the day. Roxas had watched him go, happy to see some of the old Axel, the one who was teasing and playful rather than worrisome and quiet; the Axel who he had shared so much with, whether they were goofing off over at the pond, working in the house, or just sitting in the clearing at night to watch the stars. But he would have to leave all of that someday soon, and the thought bothered him more than he was willing to admit to Axel.

Roxas set his book over the arm of the couch beside him, and gazed at the picture of Axel's mother on its usual perch. He thought of his father too, and sighed heavily. _I think I understand better now, Father. No matter how much I love Axel, I can't ignore my responsibilities to the kingdom, and I can't force Axel to follow me into a world where he could never feel at home. He is like fire; he can be strong and warm and comforting, but in the end he has a right to be free to live the life he wants. I don't want the both of us to end up being burned. If he chooses to stay, I'll accept that and agree to see him when I can. _Resolved to this, Roxas decided he would talk to Axel later, and settled himself down on the couch. He wasn't hungry for lunch just yet, and he knew the sandwich in the old fridge would still be there whenever he woke up. He moved his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, mind lost in thought........

* * *

It was a few hours later when a loud pounding noise woke him up. He immediately felt groggy, rubbing his eyes and yawning before the noise began again, coming from the front hall. When exactly had he fallen asleep? He couldn't remember, but it felt like he hadn't slept much at all. Getting to his feet, Roxas walked slowly over to the door. Now he definitely felt hungry, but sadly that would have to wait. He knew his hair was a mess and he wasn't really dressed to greet a visitor, but he figured it might be Luxord. No one ever came through the forest anyway, and the older man had promised to visit again soon to check up on the two of them, despite Axel's complaints. Roxas could tell that the two of them were friends, even though they showed it in different ways. He chuckled, thinking of how despite Axel having such a fiery temper, he could be extremely cold at times too. He opened the door slowly, and with one look at his "guest" the boy's eyes widened in terror; a gasp escaped his lips before the stranger bore down on him, a cold gloved hand muffling his cries.........

* * *

Axel wiped the sweat from his brow quickly before raising his pick again to chip away at the rock in front of him. Several of the other miners were on late lunch breaks in the corner of the mine, leaning against the walls of the mine and talking about the latest news. Luxord didn't seem to be here today, which was odd even for a wandering old bum like him. Having no one to talk to today, he decided to listened in to see what he might hear from the other miners. Axel liked picking up on the gossip as he worked; it took his mind of the grueling, mind-numbing boredom he felt spending the day in a cold, dark mind. _Yipee........_

"Did you hear? Old Lexaeus over there said he saw a strange cloaked figure wandering the forest yesterday. That sound about right, Lex?" The miner in question, a big fellow with red hair that was lighter than Axel's, nodded in response, but gave no verbal reply. The first miner continued. "Yeah. He said he saw the guy wandering through here for the past day or so. He's a tall guy in a thin black coat and hood. Slinkin around like he was up to no good, d'you think?" Another solemn nod answered him. "Let's keep our wits, gents. I heard of strange folk coming in here before, but this guy sounds like bad news." Axel stopped his work, looking at the group with curiosity. "Where have you seen him lately?" He asked, his voice low and nonchalant. Lexaeus looked back at him, replying, " Mostly around the stream. He never seems to wander far from there."

Axel was suddenly worried. Was this guy looking for Roxas? Could Vexen have decided to take care of matters himself? Without another word, Axel took off for the exit, the calls of the other miners lightly ringing in his ears. _Crap! I have to get back and make sure everything is okay! _ Axel sped as quickly as he could towards home................

* * *

"LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!....I MEAN IT!....LET...GO!" The stranger, still hidden under his dark coat, had a firm hold on Roxas's wrist, and was dragging him through the woods to who knows where. They had gotten far enough that Roxas didn't recognize any of the surrounding trees and landmarks. He focused mostly on struggling with his captor, pulling feebly at the hand that had an almost bone-crushing grip on him. He had tried to call out for help a few times, which did nothing more than earn him a punch in the face from the stranger's free hand. The man would not stop, no matter what, and Roxas was getting more and more worn out by the pace. They passed another large grouping of trees and bushes before Roxas attempted one final escape plot. Eyeing a sharp rock on the path ahead, Roxas walked a pace beside the stranger before twisting his good ankle around in front of the man's foot. It worked, but as the man fell he pulled Roxas down with him, his grip not loosening until they had both hit the ground. Roxas turned to get up and move away, seeing that the man had injured his knee on the rock just like he planned, when another bone-crushing grip caught him around his bad ankle, pulling him back down again. Roxas looked back to see the man pulling him back towards him; he cried out in pain as the man's hand tightened around his ankle and pulled like a mad devil. Striking out with his other foot, Roxas connected with the man's face, causing him to instantly relinquish his grip. Standing was a bit harder and more painful now, but he saw was certain he had knocked the stranger out. Glancing back , he gasped as the man's hood had fallen back to reveal the sewn head of a dummy.

Roxas ran as far away from there as he could, constantly stumbling and scrapping his knees, hands, and feet, but still managing. He was hopelessly lost, and the sun was going to set in another few hours. Coming to a stop at a grove of oak trees, Roxas decided he couldn't go any further. He backed into one of the trees, working hard to catch his breath as he slid his back down the tree's trunk to sit at its base. The puppet must have been moving by magic, that much he knew. But was it really Vexen? Did the man hate him _that much, _that he would stop at nothing to get rid of him? He curled his legs in on his chest and wrapped his arms around them, resting his head on his knees. He wanted to see Axel again. He felt like such a baby for being scared like this, but he couldn't help it. He was lost in the woods without his best friend and love to help him get back home, he wasn't even sure he could go much further himself. His stomach growled, reminding him he should have eaten that sandwich when he had the chance, and he shivered. The temperature was pleasant for now, but he knew from experience that it would get colder later. He hadn't been very well prepared to go out when the puppet man had barged in and pretty much turned the whole place inside-out before he managed to grab Roxas and drag him out here. _This just isn't my day....... _

He rested at the base of the tree for a while, trying not to work himself up in a panic. Hearing a pleasant chirping sound in front of him, he raised his tear-stained eyes to see the two birds he had seen by the window this morning. "Oh, hello. Did you guys follow me out here? I don't suppose you know the way back?" The birds twittered briefly before they suddenly took off for the trees. "Hey! Wait a-" A shadow fell over him and he looked up to see an older, silverly-blond haired man with a kind, handsome face staring down at him curiously. "What's wrong, boy? Are you lost? It isn't the greatest idea to be wandering through this forest alone, you know." The man then reached out a hand to help him up.

Roxas felt shy and embarrassed; a total stranger had found him crying like a toddler. He did his best to hide this though, and smiled awkwardly as he accepted the man's hand. The man was much taller than him, maybe about Axel's size or taller. As Roxas stood, he still felt wobbly on his legs, and the man placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him. "I'm sorry to trouble you sir, but do you know the way to the stream? I'm pretty sure that if I found that, I could find my way back home from there. I understand if you don't-" "Oh, not at all, " the man chimed in," I was looking to find the stream myself. I'm sorry I don't have anything to offer you anything for your leg, but you're welcome to ride on my back for a part of the way." Roxas blinked. "Oh, no. I couldn't do that-" "Don't worry, it's perfectly fine." The man knelt down in front of him, allowing Roxas the chance to climb on. Roxas hesitated at first, worried about ask so much from a man he just met, but the more he though about it the better the idea seemed to get. The man lifted him with ease; he was strong despite his age. Turning to the left, the man had almost began walking when suddenly he stopped. "Forgive me manners, but I don't believe I got your name, boy." Roxas, who's eyelids began to droop, slowly replied, ".....What? Oh, yeah. My name is Roxas, sir. It's very nice to meet you.....?"

"Even, my boy." And with the man kept walking, the unsuspecting young prince slowly but surely falling asleep peacefully on his back.......

Uh-oh. Roxas might be in trouble here! I might be imagining this, but I see this trend where he falls asleep a lot. Maybe he's got narcolepsy? Oh well, it's based on Snow White, one of the few and proud Queens of Sleep, so I guess it fits. :)


	16. Chapter 16: The Danger of Knowledge

Here's something Disney movies forgot to teach us: People don't have to be scary beyond all reason to be villains. Sometimes the cruelest villain out there is someone who looks as normal or nice as you or I.

Axel finally reached the cabin, finding the door standing wide open. When he went inside he swore when he saw the mess inside. Some furniture was turned over, one of the windows was broken somehow. Many pictures appeared to have been knocked over as well, and Axel grimaced as he bent down and lifted the shattered frame holding the picture of his mother. But as much as this upset him, he quickly resolved himself that the past was past and the dead were dead, but there was someone _here, now, _who needed him, and he got up to survey more of the damage. _How the fuck did this happen?! It's like we were hit by a tornado! _He filed that question away for latter, he looked around for Roxas, hoping he had managed to avoid this somehow. He called out through the house and when no reply came he checked every room, every corner, anywhere he thought Roxas could possibly hide. If he was lucky, the kid had either hidden somewhere or he'd escaped and gone looking for Axel.

Axel was glad when he didn't find a dead body anywhere, but he was still worried. That left the question: Where was Roxas now? God forbid that the kid had gotten dragged off somewhere! Axel decided to check the surrounding area, any place the kid might have gone looking for him. Roxas didn't know where the mine was, and he was bound to get lost looking for it. Axel cursed at himself as he sprinted back out the door. The forest was too big to search in one day! But he promised himself that he would look everywhere until he found the kid. He took off heading to the south, afraid to shout the kid's name to the wind for all to hear, but he didn't have a choice. Better to find Roxas alive and risk exposing his secret than running right past him and letting him get himself killed. Axel couldn't live with himself if something happened to him. _Roxas, you'd better be okay........._

* * *

"Oh, Roxas? I think it would be a good time to take a break. Wake up, please." Roxas muttered something unintelligible before slowly opening his eyes. "Hm? Oh, yeah, sure..." Even set him down beside a tree, similar to the one Roxas had found earlier, then walked over to sit down across from him. Roxas was fully awake now, and as he gazed around at his surroundings he realized he still didn't know where they were. The trees looked dark, many of them missing quite a few leaves as they rustled lightly in the breeze. The sun was still visible, but the sky was beginning to change to hues of red and orange, making Roxas wonder how long he'd been sleeping. He certainly hoped he hadn't been too much of a burden on this man who'd been nice enough to help him. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about Even reminded him of someone; it was right on the tip of his mind where he couldn't reach it. But then Even's voice brought him back to reality.

"So, Evan.....Are you sure we're going in the right direction? I don't think the-" Even chimed in again; the man seemed to have a knack for interrupting people. "Don't worry about it, Roxas! We're making great time! If we keep our breaks to a minimum, we should be able to get there no later than midnight." Roxas didn't like the idea of wandering around here at night; he remembered one night when, even though he was out walking with Axel, he'd almost gotten a heart attack when a few wolf howls in the distance made him jump. Axel laughed at him for that, as per usual, which made him feel stupid about the whole thing, but still......... He figured he would stay with Even, though, because there was safety in numbers, and the person who had sent the puppet after him before might still be lurking around here somewhere. He just hoped Even _did _know where he was going. "Do you think you can walk by yourself for a little while now? Sorry, it's just that I'm not as young as I used to be and-" It was Roxas's turn to interrupt now. "Of course! Don't worry, I can manage just fine now! Thank you for your help earlier." Even smiled back at him. "Not a problem at all, my boy. We should probably get going in a few minutes, if that's alright." Roxas nodded, and grabbed hold of a low branch to pull himself up. Yep, he still felt wobbly, but after a few minutes of careful practice, he seemed to be able to walk well enough. He didn't want to risk slowing them down, though, so he snapped a sturdy looking branch from the tree behind him and proceeded to lean on it slightly, taking some of the pressure off his foot. _Back to the stick again, I see. Oh well, I suppose it could be a lot worse. _He sighed. Even watched him as he worked, ready to jump in if he needed help. After a few more minutes, the two were prepared and they set off, with Even slightly ahead to lead the way..........

* * *

Back at the castle. It had been two says since the meeting and already things seemed strangely quiet and uneasy. Zack had asked all the servants if they had seen Lord Vexen, combing the entire castle under the guise of having an important military strategy to pose to the lord. He didn't know what he would say if he found Vexen, but as some time went by he suspected he wouldn't have to come up with something. Lord Vexen was nowhere to be found; the servants searched everywhere in the castle but found no trace of him. Zack quickly sent out a a message to the villages, telling them to remain alert. He wasn't sure how quickly he would need them, but he wanted to be on the safe side.

He had found and broken into the lord's laboratory, shocked by the sight of all the strange ingredients, books, and equipment cluttered around the room. An old, cracked cauldron sat near the middle of the room, completely emptied out. The air was filled with dust, and an acrid, unpleasant burning smell was being emitted from some of the vials, making Zack choke and cringe in disgust. He decided to have the room searched later; for the time being he would go check through the lord's personal chambers for any clues to his whereabouts.......

He entered the lord's room slowly, treading silently even though there was no one there to disturb. As he searched the room, a force he couldn't explain seemed to draw him to the closet on the far side of the room. Zack was never one to ignore his intuition; instinct and reaction were important assets he had spent years honing on the battlefield, so he walked open and opened the door, finding an large blue and silver shield inside, looking old and forgotten as it sat gathering dust in the shadows. He lifted it, finding it to be fairly heavy, and examined it for a while before he noticed what looked like a small mirror embedded inside it. Eyeing the markings closely, he concluded that this was no ordinary mirror. Wiping the settling dust from its surface, he cried out in surprise when a ghostly fog began to settle inside the mirror and a pale, human face appeared in the mirror.

The face in the mirror did not look surprised to see him at all, instead closing its eyes and sighing. Zack decided to take the initiative. "What are you?" The dark, sunken eyes opened to stare back at him. "I am Zexion, servant of the Mirror of Illusions." Zack asked."And are you loyal to Vexen?" Zexion's expression remained unchanged. "I am loyal to no man, as all men are but insects before the greater powers of magic. My allegiance is to the Mirror alone, for it is the Mirror that controls my spirit and channels Its power through my own. I was once a man such as you, though I wanted more than I could ever hope to receive. My selfish desire consumed me and drew me to this Mirror, and the Mirror will always answer the call, though the one who invokes It may receive more than they bargain for. Having thus been forewarned, I ask now, what would you know, my lord?" Zack did not doubt Zexion's words, but he still felt very uneasy. Deftly masking any concern or hesitation, he looked calmly into the mirror, his voice strong and confident as had been in his days of glory. "I desire only one answer, and that is the location of Lord Vexen............"

* * *

"Pence, call the messenger and tell him to ride for the nearest village. Demyx, you come with me. We have to hurry." The two boys nodded. At that moment, Olette came running to meet Zack and Demyx in the hallway. "Zack, what's going on?!" "I know where Vexen is, but the news isn't good. We have to move fast, or Roxas could be in serious danger." Olette's expression changed from concern to genuine fear, but before she could insist on following them, he placed a hand on her shoulder to silence her. He didn't want to scare the girl, but she needed to understand the truth and the reality of the situation. "i need you to stay calm and wait for us to return; it is safer here. We will leave a few soldiers here to protect the castle and seize Vexen if he returns, but I'm taking what men I can find from the villages to search for him out there. Please understand, we cannot afford to delay much longer; I hope that even now we are not too late. But I promise you that we will return, no matter what."

Olette was still worried, but she didn't protest any further. She nodded in understanding, tears appearing in her eyes. Suddenly, Demyx was beside her, wiping her tears away and smiling confidently at her. "We'll be back, just like Zack said. I'll do what I can to protect Roxas and bring him back here safe, so don't worry too much, okay?" Olette smiled at him sadly but gratefully, watching him turn and follow Zack down the hall, as all around the castle men shouted and armed themselves for whatever may lie ahead.......

* * *

The sun had almost set, and Roxas still didn't recognize the surrounding area. At one point or another, he thought he recognized a familiar cluster of trees, and his worries seemed to multiply when the thought struck him. _We're walking in circles now! Oh crap, we really are lost! _ Even pressed ahead confidently despite Roxas's worries, his mood and strength never seeming to weaken while Roxas felt slower and stiffer the more he walked. Even didn't seem to notice, even quickening his pace and pulling Roxas along with him at times. Finally, they came to a stop at a familiar part of the woods, Roxas finding the nearest boulder to sit down and catch his breath. The side of the cliff loomed high behind him, casting a long shadow in the already dim light that covered the dead trees around them. At least they seemed closer now. Roxas hoped Axel wouldn't be too worried, already afraid that the red head would give him hell the minute he got through the door......

Vexen, or Even, as he had introduced himself, sat down near Roxas, smiling as he rummaged through the bag hanging from his side. _This was almost too easy. And soon, nothing will stand in my way of obtaining the Keyblade's power. _Pulling an apple from his bag, he took a few bites while pretending to survey his surroundings. After what he deemed to be a decent amount of time passed, he brought his attention back to the boy, finding his attention deeply focused on the apple in his hand. Roxas suddenly caught his gaze, looking away embarrassed. Even chuckled. "I'm sorry, here I've forgotten my manners again! Are you hungry, Roxas?" Before he could reply, the boy's stomach growled, and Roxas scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously. "Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. It's just that I haven't eaten much today, and I ended up lost out here without any supplies. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but do you-" "Oh course," he replied happily, pulling a second apple from his bag and tossing it over to Roxas. The boy's expression brightened considerably, making Even chuckle again. He tried to hide his eagerness as he watched Roxas look at it gratefully before raising it to brush his lips........

Suddenly he heard a faint call in the distance. The boy stopped, and looked around. Vexen felt his heart skip a beat, panicking slightly. "What's wrong, Roxas?" The blonde glanced back at him, blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Did you just hear anything? I could have sworn someone was calling my name. Maybe Axel did come looking for me after all." Vexen smiled sadly, the cowardly fear in his eyes hidden by the dimming light. "Sorry, but I'm sure I didn't hear anything. But don't worry, we should be at the stream soon. Once we get there, I'm sure you can find your way back. This will just be a quick break, so you should use this time to eat and recover your strength. Soon everything will be exactly as it should be." Roxas smiled at him brightly, never doubting him for an instant. "Of course, you're right. I'm just a bit paranoid is all. Soon everything will be just fine, I know it."

Vexen watched as Roxas finally took a bite of the apple, a look of cold anticipation coming to his eyes, mouth twitching slowly into a smile. Roxas munched it happily for a minute, savoring the sweet juices before he then turned to face Even. "Wow, this is really good! Thanks, Even! This is just what I needed!.....You've been so kind to me, a total stranger; I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along. If there's any way that I can repay you for your help, I-"

Even stopped him there, a strange tone that Roxas couldn't quite place seeping into his voice. "You've already given me all I could ever want. It's time for you to sleep now, _Your Highness_." Roxas couldn't process the hiss in his last words, however, as a strange heaviness fell over him, threatening to crush him beneath its impressive weight. He brought his hands to hold his head, moaning slightly as he fought with a sudden dizzy sensation. "What..........what's going on?........I feel.......strange......." He fell back slowly, feeling the world grow colder as he faded into the darkness that threatened to swallow him in it. He looked over, his eyes almost completely blind, weakly raising a hand to the only other person there who might be able to help him. "Even....," he managed to whisper, "help me......please." The man glared at him coldly, his handsome face slowly melting away to reveal an all-too-familiar face, bearing a small but menacing smile that stopped him dead. "Farewell, Roxas. Pleasant dreams."

He could feel the tears flowing as he gave in. No! He had to keep fighting! But the spell was too strong, pulling him deeper and deeper into the dark unknown. He cried out with the last of his strength. _Someone...... anyone!........Help me!......... AXEL!!!!!........................._


	17. Chapter 17: Life and Loss

Warning: Angst and bad language.

Axel's voice was almost completely hoarse by the time he finally stopped for a breather, and it probably didn't help that he was panting hard. The universe just didn't want him to find Roxas, that was it. The trees of the forest had all seemed to blend together in his vision, causing him to run in no particular direction for what felt like hours. And as if that wasn't the worst of it, the sun had set now, making it much harder to see where he was going. He had no time to let his eyes adjust slowly, he needed to find Roxas! This motivation seemed to give him an energy boost, because soon Axel was off again, racing through the labyrinth of branches and leaves as they tore back at his arms and face.

Earlier he had found a strange-looking heap of black in the woods, and upon examining it he found it to be some kind of puppet. There were signs of a struggle on the ground around it, and Axel, while his worry only increased, took that as a sign that he was at least going the right way then. A few birds had been chirping loudly on the branch of the tree above him, giving him a massive headache. But the thought struck him then. Looking up to them, and feeling completely idiotic, he asked awkwardly, "....um, hey. Have you seen Roxas anywhere?" God, he felt so stupid. But, whether or not the birds got the gist of his words, they took off down the path and Axel decided to follow them..........

So now, having lost the birds, Axel had somehow ended up near the "dead zone," as he had started calling it. Roxas had thought of it as a cold, sad place, where nothing grew in the harsh, hard soil, so the name seemed to fit perfectly. This place made Axel ache just thinking about it, as he remembered his battle with the strange beast that had attacked Roxas that day. Slowing his pace to a brisk walk, Axel made his way along the path, moving to place his hand on the cliff to ensure that he was still going in only one direction at a time. The sky was clear that night, the bright stars comforting Axel with their small but beautiful light. At times they reminded him of the glow he saw in Roxas's eyes every time he smiled, but he later felt that that thought didn't do his eyes justice. Nothing could compare to the happiness he felt when he saw Roxas truly happy. He was his best friend and the love of his life, and Axel realized then that wherever Roxas went, he would have to follow. The world outside the forest was big and loud and full of people, but if his heart had been able to love someone again after feeling so much pain and loss, then surely anything was possible. He was willing to hope for the future again; Roxas had given him his greatest hope. Axel only hoped that Roxas was alright; there was so much he needed to tell him, so much he wanted to do.....................

He was near the clearing that backed up to the cliff, gaze flitting briefly over boulders and trees as he searched for a sign of his friend. _Damn it! I've checked every part of this god-forsaken forest, and I still have no idea where that shrimp ran off to! When I find him, he 's in so much trouble! _ He tried to smile at the thought, but he was too worried and focused on his mission. Suddenly, almost hidden behind one of the boulders, Axel swore he could make out a shadowy figure standing up. With hope in his heart, he ran toward the figure, who's head turned skittishly as he approached. "Excuse me! Do you have a second? I'm looking for a friend of mine who's lost out here, you seen him?" The man had silver hair, almost shinning in the glow of the moon and stars. He had a face that seemed old for his age, his eyes were narrow and filled with.....was it fear? Or maybe surprise or concern? Axel couldn't tell, but then he motioned with his hand as he spoke, bringing it out next to his shoulder. "He's about this tall, but he gets mad if you call him short......blonde spiky hair, blue eyes, lacking in common sense. Have you seen him?" The man took a step back, away from him. Axel looked over at him, confused, before he caught what looked like a pale hand out of the corner of his eye, and he adjusted his head to see........

His heart could have stopped dead. Mere feet away from the other man, barely hidden behind one of the boulders, was Roxas. He was lying on his back, one arm outstretched toward the direction of the stranger while the other was at his side, loosely cupping a bright red apple. Axel rushed over to him, temporarily ignoring the stranger, as he knelt down, taking the unconscious boy in his arms. The apple dropped to the ground and rolled away, barely touched, but Axel couldn't have cared less. Roxas was dressed in the pajamas he had been wearing when Axel saw him this morning; his hair was messier than usual and he was missing his boots. His skin was pale and icy, the expression on his face unnervingly peaceful. No breath seemed to flow from his soft, blue lips. Axel shook him gently, slowly becoming more and more desperate as he called out his name. "Roxas. Come on, Rox.....This isn't funny... you have to get up now. You'll get a cold out here dressed like that... it's time we went back home.... Come on, kid! You have to be alright, damn it! I just found you! Please......" Axel began to sob, hugging Roxas closer and tighter as he fought back tears and the growing pain in his chest. "Come on......Get up.....Please get up, Roxas! Roxas!" No reply, his love silent and still as the grave. Axel held him tighter as he lowered his head to the boy's chest and cried, afraid that if he let go his love would slip away from him and vanish forever..........

An eternity seemed to pass before Axel lifted his now tear-stained, emerald eyes to the other man, who had not moved an inch. The man looked down at him with a look of superiority and utter contempt, as if scoffing at what, to him, was obviously a ridiculous fit of emotion. His voice was as cold as his eyes. "He was a foolish brat, even to the very end. He should have known better than to get in my way. Now the wretch has paid for his foolishness, but you will suffer far worse than anything he could possible have dreamed! All who interfere with me will pay, and soon you will wish you had never even heard the name Roxas-"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP, YOU HEARTLESS OLD BASTARD!" Axel had risen faster than Vexen could blink, and the red head charged him like a crazed bull, drawing a dagger from the side of his belt. A fierce fire burned in his eyes, reflecting the searing hatred burning in his heart for this man, _Vexen, _who had taken his world away from him. Vexen's eyes widened in panic, and he dashed away into the trees like the shit-faced coward he was. Axel was right behind him, swinging madly at him whenever he managed to get close. But soon Vexen pulled ahead, causing Axel to lose sight of him. He came to a stop in a small, circular grove of trees, looking wildly around in all directions as Vexen's laugh echoed in his ears. "Foolish boy! You only dig your own grave deeper! The power of Strife's kingdom is within my grasp, and I'll be damned to Hell before I let you stop me now!" Axel glared around, searching for the source of the voice. Vexen was using magic to mess with his head, and he wasn't going to get anywhere letting his rage think for him. He allowed himself to calm down, closing his eyes, listening for a clue patiently as Vexen continued to taunt him, his voice mocking as it danced around him. " It's a shame you couldn't see Roxas in his finally moments; he cried for you so hard, but you never came! The agony in his voice, the fear in his eyes, it was absolutely priceless! He was dead before his heart even stopped beating!" Axel cringed, fighting to keep the words from stirring the anger in his heart. After another minute, Axel tensed. There. In a split second, he chucked the dagger with all the force he could muster, opening his eyes again as he heard the sound of ripping flesh and a scream that couldn't reach his hardened heart.

Vexen stumbled away from one of the trees, clutching the dagger protruding from his chest. Axel walked slowly but purposefully toward him, his eyes harsh and emotionless. Vexen pulled the dagger out with a considerable effort, and tossed it to the ground in front of him as he turned to crawl away. Axel picked up the dagger as he walked past, never missing a step, and he began to close the gap between them. Vexen whimpered and shook as he crawled, looking over his shoulder frantically and attempting to speed up, though his right hand was firmly gripping the wound on his chest, which slowed him down even more. Without warning, Axel was behind him, lifting the pitiful man roughly as if he weighed nothing at all. Axel tossed him back down, and held the point of the dagger so tightly to Vexen's neck that he began to struggle and scream at the pain. A thin trickled of blood flowed down his neck, increasing his panic. Emotion had returned to Axel's eyes, but the feeling of cruel, unending fury was there as well. He wanted to kill this man; to make him suffer for his selfish actions, for hurting Roxas........

Slowly Axel's expression softened, remembering his friend and the time he had known him. Roxas wouldn't want to Axel to do something so terrible as taking someone's life, especially not in his name. Roxas rarely said nice things about Vexen, but the kid had had a very strong sense of justice. He never wished for anyone to be hurt; he would do what he had to for the good of the many, but he wanted to hold on to hope. Hope that things could change, that people could change.......Tears came to Axel's eyes again, even now as he leaned over his helpless victim, prepared to kill at the drop of a hat. He would not let his hatred or sadness consume him and make him into a monster. His mother wouldn't want that, Roxas wouldn't want that.......He did not want that. The fire inside him began to cool, slowly but surely, until only the embers remained, crackling feebly.............

He grabbed Vexen's chin and forced the man to look him in the eye, drawing back the blade of the dagger ever so slightly. "You. Leave now. I don't ever want to see your ugly face around here again, got it?" He let Vexen go, watching the man scurry away down the path. He glared back at Axel with absolute loathing, a look which was kindly returned by the serious red head. His dignity shattered, the old man disappeared into the forest.

Axel walked back to where he had left Roxas, feeling so emotionally and physically drained by the tragic night. He sat down with his back against a large, old tree, cradling Roxas's limp, lifeless form in his arms. He watched the boy sadly, as the heart he thought had already been broken continued to throb painfully in his chest. His tears dripped down to stain Rozas's face, that still glowed so beautifully, even in death. He brushed the hair away from his eyes, pained in knowing that he would never see those sparkling blue eyes smiling at him again. Axel then looked up slowly at the stars above them, the very same ones they had sat under many times before, laughing and playing as if time didn't wait around the corner like a thief in the night. _What a cruel thief time could be. _Axel allowed his heavy, wet eyes to close, and there he sat all through the night and into the early morning, dreaming happily of the boy who he had come to know and love, who now, by a cruel twist of fate, he would never see smile again. He hugged the boy closer as his tired mind slipped in an semi-conscious daze..........

* * *

Vexen stumbled through the woods, fuming and lashing out at anything in his path. _That fucking brat! How dare he think he can command me?! Well, he'll pay. They'll all pay, every last one of them who had ever stood in his way! And he'll never know about the counter-curse; yes, he'll just end up burying him alive! _ Vexen laughed; Axel may have seen through his spells of transformation and sound, but He has ultimately won the war! The trees began to part before him, and he moved faster to reach the end of the forest. It was almost morning, and he needed to return to the castle before his absence was detected. His two loyal guards would be waiting for him up ahead, mounts tacked up and ready to leave, just as he had instructed. As he broke through the last of the trees, he collided with a man who had appeared in front of him, as if out of nowhere. Moving to glare this man in the eye, he was surprised to see Zack, the captain of the guard, standing there with a large group of peasants behind him. The former prince's servant, Demyx, stood close beside him, sticking out his tongue at Vexen with a smile.

"What s the meaning of this, Captain? I am here on official business, and you will not-" Zack looked down at him without even a inch of respect in his eyes, mock boredom in his voice as he called over his shoulder. "Take him away." Demyx smiled wider. "Yeah, get this old fart outta here, guys!" Before Vexen could argue or retort, he was seized roughly by several of the villagers and dragged off, outraged and confused. Zack watched them go, looking back over to Demyx. "We can deal with him later. Right now we need to set up a small camp for the rest of the night. I'm sure everyone's tired, and we need to be well rested to travel tomorrow." A gruff voice sounded behind him as an older man swaggered up from behind them and put his arms around their shoulders. "Aw, come off it, Zack! Vexen's done, and he ain't never comin back! It's time tuh celebrate, and I want tuh drink my troubles awey! Demyx, go grab your sitar, boy, and lets have us a good song!" Zack sighed, shaking his head. "Sounds like you've had enough already, Cid. And we still have work to do tomorrow, remember?" The older man was one of his most trusted soldiers, though he had a tendency to be more laid back and open than was good for him. "Yeah, yeah, I know! But come on, man! Just one song wouldn hurt, would it?" Zack sighed again, knowing he couldn't win. Demyx laughed at the old man, running off to grab his sitar. He had the perfect song he'd been composing all week for a night as good as tonight...........

* * *

The morning was getting later and later as the entire camp slept or groaned in unison. Cid had stirred many people up with his joyful ruckus, breaking open barrel after barrel of good, home-brewed ale. Everyone celebrated, as Demyx happily provided the music and entertainment. Even Zack had smiled at the festivities. Now, however, he stared at the masses of men and women passed out around the floor of the tents, some waking slowly and groaning from potent headaches. He immediately regretted letting Cid bring the ale. A vein began to pop up on the side of his head, the sleep-deprivation and frustration taking its toll. Demyx was awake bright and early, as he was an early riser by habit. He was not yet old enough to join in the drinking part of the festivities, so he was sparred from the fate of nasty hangover. He and Zack decided to take a brief morning walk, daring even to go into the woods that were once so feared.

"You know," Demyx began, as they walked through the maze of trees," Cid was just trying to get the people excited again. I know he didn't mean to drive you up the wall." Zack sighed. "Oh course he means to. He's been like that for as long as I've known him! He was even wilder as a young soldier; I remember a few times when he and Cloud....." He stopped there, lost in thought. It was because of Cloud that they were all here; he had given them both hardship and joy when he left them so suddenly, those short seven years ago. Roxas was so much like his father; stubborn at times, but kind and caring. The Strife royal family was strong and noble, each generation bringing the people together. Soon, a new ruler would pick up the pieces left by Lord Vexen, and things would return to being peaceful and prosperous once again......

Demyx waited silently as the captain thought, smiling at the man who had befriended him when he first moved to the castle. He and Roxas had made him feel warm and welcome instantly; he felt less like a servant or an underling to them and more like a treasured friend or brother. He respected his captain's thoughts, allowing his own eyes to explore the forest around him. It was large and dark in places, but no where near as scary as people made it out to be. A couple of birds flitted about through the trees, calling out words he couldn't understand, and as he watched them Demyx was startled by a sudden movement on his right, the bird's cries temporarily forgotten. Something was approaching from that direction, and he moved to grab Zack's shoulder, shaking him lightly from is thoughts and pointing an arm ahead. "Zack, I think I see someone over there.....You don't think it could be Roxas, do you?" Anticipation and joy lit up his eyes, but Zack squinted in the direction he had pointed, not willing to trust a strange figure he did not know. "I don't think so........the figure looks too tall to be......." His words fell short, though, because as the figure became clearer, Zack stared back, disbelief and fear filling his heart. The man was carrying something in his arms, something smaller than himself, a mix of pale and yellow coming into view..........

"Oh no." The figure approaching was a tall red-headed boy, around the age of 21. He wore the clothes of a miner, but his were noticeably more torn and dirty. His face was difficult to read, his eyes red and puffy and his skin pale as a ghost. But it was the figure in his arms that had caught Zack's attention, and Demyx's eyes widened in horror. "Roxas?......No! Roxas!" He rushed forward until he was in front of the older boy, desperate to see what was wrong with his friend. The red head looked at him, as if daring him to try and pull Roxas out of his arms, but he allowed Demyx to close the space between them without a fight. Zack walked slowly behind him, afraid of what he might find. Demyx looked up at him, stuttering slightly. "Axel? Is that you? What are you doing out here? What's happened to Roxas?! Is he......" Axel's eyes widened as he recognized the blond boy in front of him, but before either of them said more, Zack came up beside them. "You are Axel, I take it. Luxord told me a little about you before he left. What is wrong with the Prince?"

Axel looked down at the boy in his arms, pulling him closer as he spoke. "I found him like this, back in the woods with Vexen. I'm sorry. He's dead."


	18. Chapter 18: Redemption and Chance

"No! He can't be! Roxas!" Demyx cried out. There was a deep silence that filled the air then, only disrupted by Demyx's sobs. Zack kept his face as free of emotion as he could, but the anger was clear in his voice as he suggested they move back to the safety of camp. He wanted to e fully informed on the details, right here and now, but he held off any questioning. The sad group went back to camp, encountering only a few people as they passed, but the cries of distress and alarm from those unfortunate onlookers soon called the attention of more. None in the group were in the mood to offer comfort, needing it more themselves, so Zack simply ordered the people out of the way, agreeing to tell them all he knew once he had something to tell them. The basic truth of the matter was right there for them to see; their beloved prince was no more, or so they all believed..........

* * *

Reluctantly laying Roxas down on a soft bed in the main tent, Axel turned to Zack and Demyx, who sat at a small table a few feet behind him. He took a seat, falling into the chair heavily, the stress of the previous night weighing on more than just his soul. Zack spoke as he did so. "This is truly an unhappy day. If Vexen really has caused this tragedy, I will personally make sure he pays dearly for it, but first I have sent for the guards to bring him here to testify. He's no longer a threat. But tell me, were you the one who gave him that wound on his chest? If you are, why did you not kill him in vengeance?" Axel looked up slowly. "Yes, that was me. I still wonder that, myself. But even though I felt so angry, so ready to kill his sorry ass, I just couldn't. Most of it was probably so that Roxas had such a horrible act committed in his name and memory, but I know another part of was that death would have been the easy way out, you know? A quick death wouldn't have done him justice....."

"Yes, it is better that he his here now, to pay for his crimes against Roxas and all the people he has hurt." Demyx looked to Axel, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That must have been hard. You really cared about Roxas too, didn't you?" Axel nodded. "He was more than just my friend. He was the hope that kept me going, even when things seemed dim or sad he would always be there to help me back up. I loved him........."

Axel told them everything that had happened in the last month; how he had found Roxas and cared for him when he was alone, how the two of them had bonded through all the experiences they shared, and finally the events of last night. Zack listened silently and patiently, Demyx lowered his head and sniffled occasionally, but he listened too. As Axel finished, shouting and booing could be heard outside until suddenly Vexen was pushed through the tent roughly, and he fell to the floor at their feet. A couple of guards came in after him, picking him up and holding him there, as he glared at the group with absolute loathing.

Zack questioned him first. "Vexen, now all of your crimes against this kingdom will be known, and you will answer for every person you so cruelly tortured or imprisoned. But now you will answer me: what dark spell did you place on Roxas?" Vexen laughed harshly, amused by their foolishness. "I poisoned him, of course! That brat couldn't have been more naive! I used puppetry and magic to drag him out into the woods, where he managed to free himself and attempted to hide! But all I had to do was alter my appearance and offer him assistance and he was completely unsuspecting! That young whelp deserved what he got!" He laughed again, but Demyx was on his feet in seconds, pushing Vexen in the stomach as hard as he could. "DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU!" Vexen wheezed as each blow connected, but soon Zack was pulling him away, struggling to hold him as regained control of himself. It was unbecoming to see such a happy, carefree boy like him so angry and full of hate, and Demyx had been so bitter since this whole mess began. Slowly, he calmed down, Zack comforting him as best he could. Vexen laughed again, but Zack stopped Demyx, threatening to remove him from the tent if he continued to fight. Demyx stopped and was released, walking back to his seat as Zack approached Vexen for more questions. It was now Axel's turn to put a hand on his shoulder, and they both listened in silence as the conversation continued.......

* * *

Vexen was finally removed from the tent an hour later, and Zack slammed a fist on the table as soon as he was out of sight. They had learned almost nothing new, and the information had not helped to console them. They sat in silence together then, watching Roxas from afar until the sun was high enough that its light penetrate the tent. A ray of light shone on Roxas, almost as if it intentionally chose to do so, making his pale skin glow and his blond hair almost golden in the sunlight. After a while, Zack motioned for them all to get up; there was much to tell the people and it would be best for them to return to the castle. Axel agreed to come; he had, after all, promised to follow Roxas wherever he went. He just hoped no one would suspect that he would follow him all the way, even into the cold arms of death itself.......

They traveled back on horse and foot, the people following slowly behind as some howled out in agony. A group of four riders agreed to bear Roxas with them, building a small makeshift coffin to carry him safely between them. Demyx rode nearby with Zack, who led the grim procession. Axel was close to them, riding the horse Demyx had brought quietly, patting its neck absent-mindedly as he urged it forward. Vexen was gagged and bound in a prison cart at the back of the group, surrounded by every soldier they could spare. They passed several villages on their way, the people there crying at the sight of the group. More mourners walked on behind the group, making the group seem to grow with every step.

They had finally reached the castle as night began to settle in. Olette and Pence had run out to meet them, only to stop and cover their mouths in horror when the group returned. Pence stood frozen in shock, unable to move, while Olette ran over to Roxas, laying a hand on his cheek and gasping his cold, still form. Tears began to flow down her face, and Demyx went with her to comfort her, holding her tightly as he spoke. "I'm so sorry. We were too late; I couldn't save him." He walked her to her room for the night, both of them tired and heavy-hearted; Pence, who was too stunned and sad to speak, followed them silently, pausing only once to glance back at his friend before continuing after Demyx and Olette. Meanwhile, Vexen was taken to the dungeon, to be left at the mercy of his former prisoners. His screams echoed off the stone walls, breaking the peaceful silence of the night.........................

Roxas was placed in his bedroom, and guards were stationed down the hall. Axel wanted to be alone with him, and Zack had granted it. He had other business to attend to now. The night seemed even darker tonight, despite the full moon hanging high in the sky, as he approached a familiar door. He entered the former lord's room and crossed to the closet, finding the same shield inside as he had seen before. Taking it in his hands, Zack turned it over and looked into the mirror, hoping the spirit would come again if he invoked him. Sure enough, a familiar face appeared in the mirror, Zexion opening his eyes as he prepared to speak. "I see you have returned; the Mirror is delighted to serve once again. For you must have another desire, or else I could not have appeared. I ask you again, what would you know, my lord?" Zack spoke quickly, but calmly. "I wish to know what manner of magic Vexen used on Roxas." A strange smile appeared as Zexion spoke, making Zack feel somewhat angered by his uncaring attitude. "Ah, so the prince was poisoned after all. Well, my lord, it is an ancient spell of sleep passed down by the first sorcerers who wondered this land in the days of old. It is a very powerful spell that Vexen managed to obtain, though I cannot say how he came across it. For you see, the Mirror indeed knows all, but all cannot be revealed to know, not even to the servants of its own magic." Zack pondered his words briefly before something clicked. "You say he used a spell of sleep? But is that not a spell of death?" Zexion replied. "No, my lord. The spell itself is indeed powerful, but it cannot create that which belongs to Death alone, but merely mimic it. His spirit has not left; it sleeps within, slowly slipping away with the passage of time."

Zack's eyes widened. "Is there any way to break the spell?" "There is but one way, lord, and that is through the power of true love. The one he loves most must prove his love in return with a single kiss, one strong enough to break the stillness of his death-like state. Only then will the prince be able to wake."

Zack couldn't believe his ears. There was still hope. He felt the tears he had tried to hide earlier, slowly flowing out of their own accord, his heart filling with relief. The one Roxas loved most. That would be.............

But Zexion called his attention again. "Yes, my lord, there is hope yet. But I must warn you again, go with haste. The longer the prince sleeps, the more danger that his soul will slip free of his body. If that happens, the prince will suffer a fate worse than Death; his spirit will wonder forever between life and death, watching the ones he loves grow and die, unable to stop it and unable to reach them with words or touch. You do not have much time left if you wish him to wake at all, and there is still the matter of his love. Can you save them from themselves, my lord?" With that, Zexion disappeared back into the depths of the mirror, the ensuing fog obscuring his fading smile. Zack set the shield back down, thanking him for his help and taking a brief moment to compose himself, before turning to hurry from the room. There was no time to lose. Passing through the halls, Zack was determined to reach Axel and Roxas as quickly as he could. Axel, Demyx, everyone would be so relieved to know that it was going to be alright..............

* * *

Axel stood over the bed, gazing down at Roxas, but his eyes were no longer seeing. The room was utterly silent, the open window providing the only source of light as rays of moonlight fell across the bed and floor. Axel smiled sadly, a single tear escaping his eyes. _Don't worry, Roxas. You won't have to be alone for too long. I'll be right behind you. _He then slowly pulled out the dagger he had hidden in the fold of his shirt, the same one from his confrontation with Vexen. Dried blood had covered most of the blade and a part of its hilt; he rubbed it against his shirt, cleaning it absently as his mind slowly became blank. _Just a little longer, Roxas. I promise I'll be there soon........._


	19. Chapter 19: The Break of Day

Getting close here, people. I'm glad you liked it so far. :)

Axel was still cleaning the blade silently in the darkness of the room when he suddenly heard voices outside. It sounded like Demyx, but he wasn't really thinking clearly. "Hey, Axel? Can I talk to you for a second? I've been wondering about........." The door handle turned as Demyx spoke, stopping him when he found the door locked. "Hey, Axel, why'd you lock the door, man?" No response whatsoever from the other side of the door. Demyx started to feel nervous; something told him he wouldn't like where this was leading. "Axel? You alright in there?....Axel?"

Finally, Demyx heard Axel's voice through the door, but something in that voice didn't sound quite right."Yeah, Demyx, I'm here. But I can't stick around too long. See, there's someone waiting for me, and I'd be pretty heartless to keep him waiting any more." Demyx's eyes widened in fear and understanding, and started pounding on the door as he screamed. "Axel! You're not thinking about.....doing something like that, are you?! Come on, you can't be serious!" "But I am serious, Demyx. Dead serious, in fact. This is something I have to do." But Demyx didn't understand; he cried desperately for one of the guards to go and get Zack as quickly as he could. The other guards joined him at the door, shouting and pounding into the door. But he was afraid that even then, they might not get through and Zack might not get there in time. He did anything he could to reason with Axel, before he went and did something drastic.....

Zack picked up his pace as we walked. He was ready to see this whole mess over and done with as soon as possible. As he reached the end of a long hall lined with dark windows, he accidently bumped into someone heading down the way he had come. He apologized, immediately recognizing the man as one of the guards he had stationed outside Roxas's room. "Sir, your presence is requested at the Prince's room. It's that man, Axel, something's-" Zack's eyes widened, sensing fear and urgency in the man's tone. "Let's go."

* * *

Axel ignored the cries from the door, moving closer to Roxas as he prepared himself mentally for what he was about to do. He heard Demyx still pleading, "What about that crap about not killing Vexen for Roxas's sake?! Do you think he's want your blood on his hands, Axel?! Answer me, damn it!!" Axel smiled, though he knew Demyx couldn't see it. "Well, this is different, Demyx. This is just me being selfish....." He heard more rapid and harsh slamming sounds against the door. "DON'T GIVE ME THAT, YOU IDIOT! THIS ISN'T ANY DIFFERENT!!!" "I figured you wouldn't understand. I'm sorry, Demyx, but I have to go soon. Maybe I'll see you around. I don't really know where you go when you kick it, but hey, who knows?......Thanks for everything." Another loud slam. "AXEL!!!!"

Axel tuned out everything else; the only ones that mattered were him and Roxas. He knelt down beside the bed, stroking Roxas's cheek lovingly as he gazed at his peaceful face. He missed the warmth and softness he had seen in that face once before. After a minute, he then moved his hand to cup Roxas's cheek. "I'm coming, Rox. Don't be afraid." Leaning over him, he placed one final kiss, gently but passionate, on the boy's cold lips. Holding Roxas close to him as he leaned in further, he felt more tears well up in his eyes. If only this moment could last longer. But time was still moving, and it was wasting away. He reluctantly pulled out of the kiss, a single tear falling to his love's face. "Here goes, I guess." Axel moved the point of the dagger to the base of his neck, shuddering as the cold steel bit slightly at his flesh. He was finally prepared to plunge it in and stop his breath forever, when he felt a hand weakly grasping the arm holding the dagger......

_The heavy clouds surrounding him seemed to disappear, the darkness slowly fading away. He looked up to see the glowing surface once more. He no longer struggled against the current, but allowed it to guide him as it flowed back to the place where he belonged. Breaking the surface, he drew a long, hard breath, as though he hadn't tasted the sweet, night air in a long time........_

Roxas's eyes fluttered open weakly, his vision blurry and dim. As things became clearer he gasped in surprise, the rest of his body still slowly waking up. He was lying on his own bed, in his own room, back at the castle. A man stood beside him, facing the wall, holding something to his neck as a strange pounding noise filled the room. There were voices too, but he could barely hear them now. His attention was focused only on the stranger beside him. Roxas struggled to reach out his hand to this person, a tall boy with oddly familiar spiky red hair.......He was.......

"Axel......what...are you doing?" The voice sounded tired and confused, but it was that voice that snapped Axel's attention immediately toward the only other person in the room. His eyes widened as he saw two blue orbs blinking hazily back at him, as if their owner had just woken up from a long nap.

"You're not.....going somewhere....are you?" The dagger fell from Axel's hand, hitting the floor with an loud clang. Before Roxas could sit up or avoid the attack, Axel threw himself at the boy, tackling him into a death-grip embrace that knocked the air from his lungs. "Hey! Axel!...Could you let up a little?! I can't ...breath.....here!" Axel loosened his grip and leaned back, giving Roxas the air he needed. He coughed violently. "What.....was that all about, Ax? I think you could've killed me there! ..............Um, Axel? What's wrong?" Axel's head was lowered, his shoulders shaking and his hands balling into fists. When he brought it up Roxas was surprised to see the pained, tearful expression on his face. "You idiot! You scared me half to death, Roxas!.......I thought you were dead, and I almost....." He brought a hand to his face, trying to hide his embarrassing expression. Roxas's face softened sadly; he looked at Axel sympathetically as he tried, and failed, to sit up. "Axel......I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that. Honestly, I'm just glad I found you! The last thing I remember was getting lost in the woods and......." He put a hand to his head, shutting his eyes in frustration. "I was.....talking to Even......and I heard your voice, but I couldn't find you anywhere......Sorry, my head just feels kind of heavy right now. I don't-" Axel was suddenly over him again, smiling this time and placing a finger to his lips.

"You talk too much, you know that?" In that moment the finger was removed and Axel's lips replaced it, the two of them holding each other and letting all the built-up tears flow out in the gentle light of the moon. Roxas sighed and moaned as Axel's tongue parted his lips and explored his mouth eagerly; he wrapped his arms around the red head's neck and leaned in closer. Axel's hand slipped down his back slowly, lifting him closer as well. Suddenly the pounding at the door ceased, and the two of them broke the kiss and looked over in confusion, greeted by the sight of.........

* * *

Zack had reached the door, finding Demyx and several other soldiers ramming into it in an attempt to bust it open. "Demyx, what's-" The blond boy looked at him, eyes wild and crying. "It's Axel! He's going to kill himself so he can be with Roxas! We have to stop him now!" Zack's eyes widened; suddenly the sound of metal hitting the floor rang through the room. Demyx turned back to the door. "AXEL, NO! DAMN IT!" They rammed the door for what seemed like an eternity before it finally fell under their collective weight, and Demyx and Zack charged into the room. As the dust settled, they looked at the pair with shock and disbelief. Axel and Roxas starred back at them with wide, tear-filled eyes, their faces only inches apart and quickly turning bright red. Roxas looked a bit light-headed, panting softly, while Axel was down-right flustered. "Roxas! Axel!....Wait, Roxas! You're alive?!..." Demyx stood for a moment, gaping, before he calmly walked over to his friends and proceeded to slam his fists down hard on the backs of their head. They groaned in unison, rubbing the tender spot Demyx had whacked.

Axel glared up at him. 'What the hell was that for?!" Roxas was still rubbing his head and moaning. Demyx grinned brightly at the two of them. "For being a bunch of selfish dicks." Axel muttered softly. "Sorry....." Roxas looked up, the guilt more apparent on his face than Axel's. "I'm sorry I worried you, Dem. But you didn't have to hit so hard!" At least Demyx was acting like himself again. "Now we're even, after what happened back by the spring. Or, I can give you another smack for that time you stole my sitar and tried to bury it in the bushes...." Roxas snapped back, playful but frustrated. "Hey, you'd been playing that thing at three in the morning for a whole week! And I wasn't too keen on becoming target practice every time you asked me to help you learn water magic!" Demyx chuckled. "Fair enough, Roxas."

Axel smiled as he watched them argue, turning as Zack approached slowly behind him. "So you figured out how to break the curse on your own." Axel shook his head. "Not really. I guess for once, my screwing up actually did something right." Zack smiled. Roxas was alive, and the world seemed to feel brighter and more wonderful than before..........

* * *

The entire kingdom rejoiced when they learned that their prince was alive, and seeing that the boy's birthday was coming in the not-too-distant future, everyone set about preparing for the festivities. Roxas had almost fully recovered, having been confined to his bed for a week to recover his strength. Axel had chosen to stay at the castle with him, and once Roxas was up to it, he introduced him to all his friends who lived there. Vexen, after his beating by the other prisoners, remained confined in the dungeons under Zack's personal supervision. He was nothing now but a weak, battered old man, but he would be put to trial for his crimes after the celebration. Now he sat there, alone and powerless, his rage dying out slowly to be replaced by exhaustion and bitterness....

* * *

"Are you sure this is really necessary, Demyx? I feel silly......." Silly seemed like an understatement though, as he looked at the ridiculous outfit he was wearing in the mirror. It was some kind of robe mostly in shades of black and white, but it was held together by various belts and patterns that he couldn't make sense of. He looked so...so.....stupid. Demyx, who was helping him fix a few of the belts that he somehow managed to make too tight (_Seriously, who gets himself stuck like that?!), _looked up at him and smiled. "You look great, Roxas! Don't worry about it; it's just until after the ceremony anyway! Right, Axel?" Axel was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, smiling. He actually seemed to be enjoying this! "Yeah, don't sweat it, kid. This is your big day." Roxas sighed, getting lost in thought. _After today, I'll be the king....I wonder what you'd say if you could see me now, father......._ Was he nervous? Of course he was! Even if he had spent his whole life learning how to be strong and take charge, he was still afraid that he would mess it up for everyone.......

Demyx got up and walked to the door. "Well, I've got some other chores to do before its show time! I'll see you out there, Rox! Break a leg!" Roxas gulped; he hoped to God that wouldn't happen. He stared at himself in the mirror, visibly pouting at his costume, when Axel came up behind him and put his arm around his shoulders. "You look fine, kid. Everything'll be great, so you shouldn't stress out about it. Got it memorized?" Roxas glared dryly at him. "I'm gonna have to ask you to stop saying that. And you're one to talk, anyway! You're not the one who's gonna become king and have his life turned upside-down!" Axel smiled at him. "I beg to differ, kid. I'd say you did a pretty good job turning _my_ life inside out. But you're right; I'm not the one who'll become king. But I can tell you now: I'll always be here for you, even if this whole place falls down around you." Roxas raised his eyebrow. "That's supposed to make me feel better?" Axel chuckled. "No, but this might." He leaned over and planted a kiss on his lips, Roxas sighing lightly as he did so. After a minute Axel pulled away, gliding over to the door as Roxas stared after him, fingers raised to his lips. Axel turned and winked at him, and then he was gone. Looking back at the mirror, Roxas smiled, eyes strong and determined. _Right._

* * *

The crowd went silent as Prince Roxas entered the courtyard. It wasn't a very big area for a ceremony, so many of the villagers watched from the castle windows, eyes eagerly following the prince as he walked. The courtyard was decorated with white and black roses, the morning dew making them sparkle in the growing sunlight. The Keyblade stood before him, radiating its familiar heat and pulling him closer with every step he took. Two girls stood on either side of the blade, one dressed in all black and the other dressed in all white with bright blond hair. Their faces were almost identical, smiles beckoning him to stand before them. He stopped in front of the Keyblade, falling to one knee and placing his right hand over his heart, his head bowed as the black-haired girl spoke first. "You who would seek the power of the key; do you promise to defend this land and its people from all danger, to deal justice with a firm hand, and fight with hope even when faced with an unforeseeable future?" Roxas spoke loudly and clearly. "I do." The blond-haired girl then spoke. "You who would seek the power of the key: do you promise to rule with a kind and understanding heart, to judge fairly in the eyes of the law, and open your heart to those who need and call?" Again, he replied, "I do." Both girls smiled at him, speaking in unison. "Then we call to you, Roxas, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Strife. Prove to all now that your words are true and your heart is pure, and claim the power that is yours by right." They then bowed their heads and stepped away from the Keyblade and each other. Roxas rose to his feet and reached out to grasp the hilt of the Keyblade. With a slight effort he pulled the blade slowly from its pedestal, raising it with his left arm to point towards the sun. The key glowed brightly, emitting a soft light that seemed to envelope Roxas along with it. The girls smiled again, falling to their knees before him. "Indeed, you are truly worthy of its power and respect. Now, King Roxas Strife, face your people and fulfill your destiny." He turned to face the cheering crowds around him, smiling brightly at them and raising the Keyblade above his head. A familiar red-head caught his eye, moving about through the towers for a better look, and he waved up at him, still glowing with divine light.

Axel smiled from the window, waving back at his beloved king. He laid his arms on the stone window sill, resting his chin on his hands as he watched Demyx run out and tackle Roxas, grabbing him in a headlock and messing up his already spiky hair. Other people came out to congratulate him, some of them trying to save him from the clutches of Demyx. He chuckled at this, deciding it was about time for him to go down and join the party. He got up and ran down to the yard as fast as he could. He reached the door quickly, stepping out into the warm sunlight to greet his love, the future seeming to glow brightly just beyond the horizon. It was the dawning of a new day..........

The End


	20. Chapter 20: Epilogue

Roxas snuck away from the mobs of people trying to seek an audience with him, exasperated by how many people seemed to need something _now_! He sighed, letting himself out of the closet he had just ducked into, watching carefully as the group that had been after him continued down the hall, calling his name. The party wasn't even over yet, and already there were so many affairs of state to attend to! Then again, it wasn't really that surprising.......but it was his birthday, for goodness sake!

A voice called behind him, making him jump in surprise and wheel around frantically. He sighed when he saw it was only Demyx. "How many times have I asked you not to do that, Demyx! Are you _trying_ to scare me to death?" The older blond smiled at him. "Come on, Rox! Lighten up! I was just coming to check if you wanted me to cover for you." "Cover for-" Before he could ask, Zack's voice echoed loudly through the halls. "Your Majesty, we need you over here now! There are some very important issues we need to discuss with you! _Roxas_!" Roxas cringed. _Oh yeah, that. _Demyx smiled. "If you're looking for Axel, he's on the balcony of the highest tower. He's avoiding me." Roxas looked at him curiously. He'd never asked about how the two of the seemed to know each other. Demyx read the question in his eyes. "He's such a baby! We lived in the same village as kids, before he and his mom took off and I ended up here. I dragged him all over the place when he were kids; yep, we had some pretty great times! But just because I almost got him drowned in the river _one time, or two, no maybe it was......_ well, you get the picture! And now the big baby's afraid to be around me anytime water's involved! I just asked him for help with a spell I was testing, and he took off on me! Can you believe that?!" Actually Roxas could, remembering all the times Demyx tried to.................

Another shout from down the hall, making both boys jump this time. Roxas pleaded with his eyes, and when Demyx nodded, he looked at him gratefully. "Thanks, Demyx. I owe you one for this.!" With that he sped off for the staircase. Demyx watched him, smiling. It was weird how fate had seemed to bring them all together like this. Putting the thought aside, he ran in the direction of Zack's voice, trying to think of a good cover story. _Abducted by circus performers, maybe?.....Nah, too cliche._

* * *

Axel sat by himself on the railing of the balcony, letting his legs dangle over the side as he watched the sunset. A familiar blond boy appeared beside him a moment latter, settling himself down to sit beside Axel. "Isn't the king supposed to be down at the party? It is your birthday, after all." Roxas pouted and glared. "Yeah, try telling that to them. I haven't even been king for a day yet and already they're hitting me with questions and favors! I kinda hoped I'd get to enjoy my birthday, you know?" Axel chuckled at him, to which Roxas replied by sticking his tongue out at him. After that, they sat in silence for a while, just watching the sky glow red in the dimming light.

"Vexen's trial has been set for next week....." Roxas's voice was calm, but Axel knew that something was bothering him. Roxas looked forward, smiling sadly. "I know that he's done some terrible things before, but I can't bring myself to really hate him for it. I know that he was the one who killed my father, and he tried to kill me several times. But as much as he's made me angry, I just don't feel anything when I see him now. I feel ......empty. Like I couldn't feel anything even if I really tried." Axel put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Roxas. It might be better that way, because you can't judge with a level head if you let your emotions run wild. But I promise you, I won't let anyone hurt you like he did ever again." Roxas looked back into his green eyes, still smiling sadly. "Thanks, Axel............." An awkward silence followed, and Axel spent a while trying to figure a way to lighten the mood.

"Hey, Rox-" Before he could really say anything, Roxas leaned over and kissed him. The red head was a bit surprised; Roxas had never been this forward before. But he wrapped his arms around the boy, warming him as his lips pressed back. Neither of them pulled away for a long time; Roxas was extremely needy all of the sudden, but Axel was happy to oblige him. When they finally broke the kiss, Roxas looked up at him, shyly smiling. "That was for the one I slept through, so we're even now, okay?" Axel blinked at him and then burst out laughing. Roxas glared back at him, and Axel patted him on the head, as Roxas tried but failed to swipe his hand away, his face getting redder. "Hey, come on Axel! Cut it out already!" Axel laughed for a while, "You're cute, you know that Your Majesty?" He leaned back to avoid a soft blow from his annoyed king, but soon the blond had cooled down. "That's fine, Roxas. I wasn't sure what to get you for your birthday anyway." Roxas smiled at him, and the red head wrapped his arm around him, motioning for him to look once more at the setting sun.

"Hey, Roxas. Bet you don't know why the sun sets red." Roxas looked over at him, confused, his face still somewhat flustered. Axel smiled, explaining, "See, light is made up of a bunch of different colors. Out of all of the colors, red is the one that travels the farthest." Roxas just stared at him for a minute, before lightly punching him and grinning brightly. "Like I asked, know-it-all!" They both laughed. Even if the whole world kept on turning without them, they would still be happy, content just to sit there forever, watching the sunset side by side.............

Phew, that was a good run! Thanks to everyone for the reviews; I really enjoyed writing this! Reviews are also helpful for future stories. I've edited this so much in the past few days, but today I swear I won't touch it again, for better or worse. :) Hope everyone enjoyed some good ole Akuroku. 3


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